Klaus Wallrath
Klaus Wallrath (born 13 May 1959) is a German church musician and composer. He has been responsible for church music at the Basilika St. Margareta in Düsseldorf-Gerresheim from 1987. He has composed especially song motets ("Liedmotetten") on Christian hymns, and musicals on Biblical topics for children's choirs. Compositions have been commissioned for the Cologne Cathedral and the Katholikentag. Life. Born in Korschenbroich, Wallrath received instructions in piano and organ while a school student, by Franzjosef Franzen (1927–1997). After his Abitur at the , Wallrath studied church music at the Robert Schumann Hochschule Düsseldorf from 1977 to 1982 , Catholic church music, chorale conducting with Heinz Odenthal, and conducting with Hans Kast. He graduated with the Kantor's exam. He further studied piano with Leonore Auerswald, taking the concert exam in 1985. During his studies he worked as a chamber musician, and belonged to the "Gesualdo Ensemble" from 1986. In 1987, he took office as the church musician at , which included from 1995 the larger parish merged with seven other churches. He has worked for many projects of the Diocese of Cologne. Wallrath founded several choirs and ensembles, besides the Basilika Chor a choir school for children and young  adults, with more than 150 students, and the chamber choir Kammerchor St. Margareta. He was instrumental in installing concert series such as the "Gerresheimer Orgeltage" for organ, oratorio performances and "Stiftssaalkonzerte" for chamber music. The repertoire includes Gregorian chant, classical music, contemporary music, and jazz. Wallrath played as a pianist regularly with ensembles including Ensemble quatuor and Ensemble cinquepiù. He lectured chorale conducting at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen from 2008 to 2014. In 2014, Wallrath became the third person to be awarded the honorary title Musikdirektor ACV by the Allgemeine Cäcilienverband für Deutschland (ACV), on the  account that he was a passionate musician able to create enthusiasm in others, and to proclaim faith in music. In 2018, he composed a mass for peace, "Missa da pacem", commissioned by the Münster Cathedral for the final service of the Katholikentag in Münster in keeping with the motto of the event "Suche Frieden" (Search for peace). The music was performed for an audience of around 30,000 on 13 May 2018 by the cathedral's choirs ("Dommusik") and an orchestra. It is based on the Gregorian Chant Da pacem, Domine. Tanztheater Münster, the ballet company of Theater Münster, interpreted the  movements Kyrie and Agnus Dei, and the congregation was requested to participate singing in movements Gloria and Sanctus. Works. Wallrath has composed mostly sacred vocal music, including masses, cantatas and motets. His specialties are "Liedmotetten", setting mostly contemporary hymns for choir and accompaniment, and musicals for children as performers and listeners.