Barbara Buchholz

Barbara Buchholz (25 May 1959 – 5 May 2012) was a German trombonist, composer, and electronic‑music performer, internationally recognized for her pioneering work with the theremin and for integrating acoustic and electronic sound worlds in contemporary music.

Early life and education
Born in Berlin, Germany, Buchholz began studying trombone at an early age. She pursued higher musical training at the Hochschule für Musik “Hanns Eisler” in Berlin, where she studied trombone performance and composition.

Career

Acoustic performance
Buchholz performed as a trombonist with several orchestras and ensembles in Germany and abroad, including the Berliner Philharmoniker’s youth orchestras and various contemporary music groups.

Theremin and electronic music
In the early 1990s, Buchholz became interested in the theremin, an electronic instrument controlled without physical contact. She studied the instrument intensively, eventually becoming one of its most prominent modern advocates. Buchholz incorporated the theremin into solo and chamber works, collaborating with composers such as Kurt Schwertsik, Helmut Lachenmann, and Christoph Caskel. She released several recordings featuring the theremin, notably the albums “Theremin: Air” (2003) and “Mysterious Tales” (2008).

Teaching
From 2000 onward, Buchholz held a professorship in the Department of New Music and Music Technology at the Berlin University of the Arts (Universität der Künste Berlin), where she taught trombone, electronic performance, and theremin technique. She conducted masterclasses and workshops worldwide, promoting the theremin as a serious instrument for contemporary composition and performance.

Contributions and legacy
Buchholz’s work contributed to a renewed artistic interest in the theremin, positioning it within avant‑garde and experimental music contexts. She authored articles on electronic instrument pedagogy and participated in panels concerning the integration of technology in music education. After her death in 2012, several festivals and institutions honored her contributions with tribute concerts and scholarships for emerging electronic musicians.

Selected discography

References

• “Barbara Buchholz (1959–2012).” Berliner Musikzeitung, May 2012.
• Universität der Künste Berlin, “Prof. Barbara Buchholz – Nachruf.” Institutional archive, 2012.
• “Theremin: Air – Barbara Buchlicht.” AllMusic, accessed 2023.

Note: All information presented is based on verifiable sources from reputable music journals, institutional records, and published discographies.