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Barbara BuchholzGerman theremin player, bass guitarist and composer.
Date of Birth: 08.12.1959
Country:  Germany |
Content:
- Barbara Buchholz: A Virtuoso on the Theremin
- Early Career
- Theremin Virtuoso
- Teaching and Collaborations
- Performances and Recordings
- Awards and Recognition
- Legacy
Barbara Buchholz: A Virtuoso on the Theremin
Early Life and EducationGerman theremin player, bassist, and composer Barbara Buchholz was born in Bielefeld, Germany. She studied music at the University of Bielefeld, majoring in flute, bass guitar, and vocals.
Early Career
Buchholz began her career as a performer and composer in the early 1980s, collaborating in interdisciplinary projects including theater productions. She gained recognition as a bassist with the all-female jazz orchestra "Reichlich Weiblich."
Theremin Virtuoso
In the late 1990s, Buchholz met and studied theremin with Lydia Kavina, the granddaughter of the inventor of the instrument. She developed new playing techniques that expanded its sonic possibilities and established the theremin as a prominent instrument in jazz, improvisation, and contemporary classical music.
Teaching and Collaborations
In 2005, Buchholz and Kavina founded the platform "Touch! Don't Touch!" to promote the theremin in contemporary music. Under their direction, composers such as Manfred Egert, Mauricio Kagel, and Sofia Gubaidulina created works featuring multiple theremins.
Performances and Recordings
Buchholz performed with various ensembles, including the Norwegian musicians Arve Henriksen and Jan Bang. She embarked on tours with the "Jazz Bigband Graz" and presented her solo program "Theremin: Russia with Love" in collaboration with Berlin-based artist Pädda Borowski. She also performed the theremin in contemporary orchestral works such as Lera Auerbach's ballet "The Little Mermaid."
Awards and Recognition
Buchholz received numerous awards for her work as a jazz and contemporary music performer and composer. In 2003, she was granted a residency at the Moscow Theremin Center by the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Legacy
Barbara Buchholz passed away from cancer on April 10, 2012. Her innovative approach to theremin playing and her dedication to promoting the instrument left a lasting legacy in the world of electronic music.
