Hermann Kotzschmar was possibly the first foreign musician to settle in Portland and make a lifetime career.
His skill, vision, musicianship and tenacity in all of his work - teaching, conducting, composing, presenting concerts and church work - allowed him to arouse desire within those who worked with him to create soul-satisfying music.
Before Hermann Kotzschmar, newspaper reviews lamented the lack of life and heartiness in the musical performances they heard.
Kotzschmar's genius expressed itself in his ability to train and mold the untutored but enthusiastic amateur musicians that he found in Maine.
His early training in Germany, both in his family home and in Dresden with Julius Otto, created sounds in his head that he was able to train people in the new world to produce.
Under his inspired leadership music came alive through a wide palette of expression.
