Horst Buchholz

Canon for Music and Worship

From the July 2008 edition of The Cathedral Connection

Dean Lind and the Canon for Music and Worship Search Committee are delighted to announce that Dr. Horst Buchholz will become the new Canon for Music and Worship at Trinity Cathedral.

"Horst is a delightful person with a marvelous and playful sense of humor and a deep thoughtfulness about music and liturgy," said Dean Lind. "I am delighted to welcome him to the Trinity staff!"

Dr. Buchholz is currently director of sacred music and principal organist at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Denver, Colorado; music director and conductor of the Denver Philharmonic Orchestra; and associate professor of church music at St. John Vianney Seminary. He comes to Trinity with an impressive vitae of church music, choral conducting and orchestra experience and holds a doctor of music degree from Indiana University. He has also studied at the Berlin College of Church Music, the Hochschule der Künste Berlin and the Berlin Conservatory of Arts.

On the occasion of his appointment, Buchholz noted his appreciation for Trinity's excellent tradition of sacred and community music programs. He especially recognized Canon Hathaway's long tenure, saying, "Daniel has built up a legacy and I have great respect for his work that is even broader than Trinity and Cleveland. I feel very honored and privileged to succeed him."

Buchholz was raised in Germany, but has lived in the United States since 1989 and considers this country to be his home. "Over the years, I've found the people in this country to be much more open in musical matters than where I grew up, and I've always appreciated the openness."

In keeping with his appreciation for musical diversity, Buchholz places a high value on communication about music and liturgy. "We want to see what people experience when they experience liturgy," he said. "The entire idea is to broaden the spectrum of music, to see those kinds of things that have not been done but also to continue the things than have been done and appreciated. We want to make change with lots of dialogue, catechesis and pastoral sensitivity."

Buchholz is also enthusiastic about continuing Trinity's rich tradition of civic music programs. During the fall season, to be announced in September, he will present several Brownbag Concerts on the organ and also hopes to present a concert by his wife, MeeAe Cecelia Nam, who is the coordinator of voice studies at Metropolitan State College of Denver and an expert in the development of young voices.

Watch This Week@Trinity for the announcement of Buchholz's first Sunday at Trinity and plans for his installation on Sunday, September 14.