Marie-Hélène Bernard was appointed President and CEO of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) in February 2015 and began her tenure in July of that year. With her leadership, the SLSO has sharpened its commitment to artistic excellence, educational impact, community connections, and access for all—in service to its mission of enriching lives through the power of music. Bernard has fostered the SLSO’s strengths as a responsive and nimble organization while invigorating partnerships locally and elevating its presence globally.
Bernard’s tenure has welcomed an era of artistic vitality for the SLSO. She led the appointment and contract extension of the orchestra’s visionary music director, Stéphane Denève; two critically acclaimed European tours since 2017; multiple recordings; and rejuvenated community connections across the St. Louis region. With music education at the forefront of Bernard’s priorities, the SLSO’s programs have grown to engage more than 400,000 students and 1,600 teachers worldwide each year. The SLSO’s engagement at American universities has positioned the SLSO as a go-to higher education partner. Media partnerships and online offerings have grown to reach millions of people worldwide and expanded relationships with regional organizations have created deeper access to music for all.
Bernard guided the design and development of a $140 million renovation and 64,000-square-foot expansion of the orchestra’s historic home, Powell Hall, and of a $155 million campaign to support the project and growth of the SLSO’s endowment. With construction begun in March 2023 and an expected completion in September 2025, the project will transform the SLSO experience for audiences and artists while preserving the civic treasure and creating a vibrant music center for the community.
As the orchestra’s artistic portfolio and impact continues to grow, Bernard has shepherded the institution through the implementation of long-term strategic planning centered on equity, diversity, inclusion, access, engagement, and innovation, ensuring financial stability of the organization through growth of contributed and earned revenues.
A firm believer in nurturing the next generation of leaders, Bernard is an inaugural mentor of the Anne Parsons Leadership Program of the League of American Orchestras and a two-time mentor of the Widener Global Leaders Program at Wichita State University. An advocate for all the arts, she serves on the board of Grand Center, Inc., and is an honorary board member of Classic 107.3. She also serves on the Artist Presentation Society Advisory Committee and is a member of the Symphony, Opera & Ballet Employers’ Electronic Media Association. Recent honors include: a Women in Business Honoree from the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis; the A-List Award for Arts Leader from St. Louis Magazine; and the “Most Influential Businesswomen” from the St. Louis Business Journal.
A Québec native of Belgian descent, she studied communications, media, and literature at Jean-de-Brébeuf College, obtained a LL. B. in law from the University of Montréal, and holds a master’s degree in arts management from Concordia University (Montréal). Prior to her appointment at the SLSO, she served as the Executive Director and CEO of the Handel and Haydn Society in Boston; in leadership positions at the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra, and the Canton (Ohio) Symphony Orchestra; and completed early-career residencies at the New York Philharmonic and the Minnesota Orchestra. Before joining the orchestra industry, Bernard practiced corporate and tax law in Canada and remains a member of the Québec Bar Association.
She lives in Kirkwood with her husband, attorney Douglas Copeland, and their Shih Tzu Riki.
