Organist brings talent and faith to Valley community
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – Music brings many people closer to their faith. Ralph Holtzhauser is the diocesan director of music at St. Columba Cathedral, and he's the principal musician.
Music comes to life at St. Columba when Holtzhauser sits on the organ bench. He started playing piano at 2 years old and the organ at age 5 — the instrument holds his heart. Now at 31, he's the only African American and the youngest cathedral director in the country.
'But there's so much sound at your fingertips. There's so many colors. You have an orchestra at your fingertips that you do not have at the piano,' Holtzhauser said. 'It is quite lovely to be able to use that heritage to inspire others and to just expose people to a new kind of perspective and thought in the organ world.'
Holtzhauser focuses on church music and teaches sacred music at Franciscan University in Steubenville. He also travels and performs at churches with deep cultural significance across America.
His parents are of different races, and he remembers asking about the significance of all the figures from the civil rights movements. He does not think of himself as unique because of his race.
'If I can inspire through just my playing and what I feel and being really genuine to myself, I think that might be the best way to inspire others,' Holtzhauser said.
Holtzhauser plays recitals and concerts with other types of music, such as romantic, classical and more contemporary. He wants to do more recordings like a CD of African American composers recorded for the organ.
'If we can expose mixed race children and African American children and children who are just minorities in general to this lovely sacred music that a lot of them don't get the opportunity to encounter, I think that would be quite a lovely thing,' Holtzhauser said.
Holtzhauser also organizes the organ concert series at St. Columba. The next concert is March 21. That night, Richard Konzen will be the featured organist. He's the organist at St. John's Episcopal Church in Youngstown, and he's the former mayor of Mercer borough. Tickets are free, but a donation is suggested.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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