Red Door Community Concerts: Keeping Oxford in tune

As Oxford shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church found a new way to bring people together – through music. That effort soon became the Red Door Community Concerts, an annual series that continues to fill the city with music and connection.

Sarah Michael, chair of the arts committee at the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, said, “We thought that reaching out to the community through music might be a way to have people who are isolated in their home be able to be together in spirit, if not in body.”

The Holy Trinity Church has a strong history of music, according to Michael. 

“It’s part of the core of the church,” she added. “Reaching out through music might be a way to relieve the stress and isolation of the pandemic.”

After writing a few grants and talking to the community, Red Door Community Concerts was born.

“We called it ‘Red Door Community Concerts’ because, traditionally, episcopal churches have red doors,” Michael said. 

The first year of these concerts consisted of six performances, which attracted support, sponsors and donations for the cause. 

Since its start, there have been 25 concerts, with another five on the way for the remainder of 2025 and 2026. Each live community concert is also recorded and posted on YouTube.

“Another thing we decided we wanted to do was address a diversity issue so (that) our concerts are not all the same kind of music,” said Michael. 

Upcoming concerts will include Canadian-born organist Michael Unger, who is an award-winning performer and associate professor of organ and harpsichord at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of music. This will take place Oct. 24.

Next year, singer Vidita Kanniks and harpist Rachael Miller will perform Jan. 30. 

On March 6, pianist and Miami University faculty member Frank Huang will perform, and April 17, conductor Reina Dickey will lead a performance by Miami chamber singers 

Starting off the summer, bluegrass group My Brother’s Keeper will perform June 5.

All concerts are free to attend and donations may be made at the performances. Parking will also be available at the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church.