Karen Elizabeth Holtkamp, 83, died June 3 in Cleveland, Ohio. Known professionally as Karen McFarlane, she was born January 2, 1942, in St. Louis, Missouri, and spent her childhood in Crystal City and Webster Groves, Missouri. She graduated from Lindenwood College, St. Charles, Missouri, and had a short career as a public school music teacher before moving to New York City to pursue other opportunities in music.
In New York City, McFarlane served for six years as music secretary to Frederick Swann at The Riverside Church, also assisting with some playing duties there. Between 1970 and 1973, she lived in San Marcos, Texas, where she was organist and choir director at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church. Returning to New York City in 1973, she served for eight years as director of music/organist at Park Avenue Christian Church and in 1976 took over the leadership of Lilian Murtagh Concert Organists, which became Murtagh/McFarlane Artists Management and eventually Karen McFarlane Artists, Inc., where she represented the world’s most distinguished international concert organists and choirs in the English choral tradition.
She moved to Cleveland, Ohio, in the early 1980s and married organbuilder Walter “Chick” Holtkamp, Jr. In Cleveland she continued running the artist management and served at the Church of the Covenant, where she was eventually associate choirmaster to Todd Wilson (1987–2008).
During her tenure as president of the management (1976–2000) she expanded the roster of performers by adding competition winners and choirs. From 1982 she worked on a volunteer basis with the biennial winners of the American Guild of Organists National Young Artists Competition in Organ Performance, providing the cash first prize and assisting them in establishing performance careers (which Karen McFarlane Artists continues to this day). In 1990 she added the Calgary International Organ Festival to her roster of winners. In 1985 McFarlane was the first to begin touring the great British choirs: King’s College and St. John’s College, Cambridge; the Cambridge Singers; Westminster Abbey; Winchester Cathedral; Salisbury Cathedral; Canterbury Cathedral; Westminster Cathedral; and the St. Thomas Choir of New York City.
McFarlane was involved with the AGO on the local and national level, from chapter dean to national committee member. She served as chair of the 2007 national nominating committee and was a member of the committee on professional concerns. AGO honors included receiving the Avis H. Blewett Award from the St. Louis chapter (1993), the Edward A. Hansen Leadership Award (2000), and a certificate of appreciation from the Cleveland chapter (2000). In 2012 the Cleveland chapter awarded her a lifetime honorary membership in the AGO.
In 1982 Calvin Hampton dedicated his Five Dances for Organ to McFarlane and her husband, Walter Holtkamp, Jr. The work was commissioned for the dedication of the new Holtkamp organ at Park Avenue Christian Church. Upon her retirement in 2000, McFarlane was honored by her entire roster of artists at a surprise musical event held at the Peabody Conservatory of Music. Titled “Musical Gifts,” the program consisted entirely of new music dedicated to her by her artists. A total of 30 works were composed, 26 of which were performed that evening. In addition to these, pieces were dedicated to her by Jean Langlais and William Albright.
McFarlane was also active in the international music fraternity Mu Phi Epsilon for 60 years. In 2020 she was the organization’s ACME (Artists, Composers, Musicologists, and Educators) award honoree.
During her retirement, Karen and Chick enjoyed several months every year in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, in addition to their residence in Cleveland. Predeceased by her husband Chick, she leaves a daughter, three stepsons, seven grandchildren, and a sister. A memorial service will be held September 19 at Trinity Cathedral, 2230 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio (musical prelude at 1:30 p.m., service at 2:00 p.m.). Music for the day includes Duruflé’s Requiem conducted by James O’Donnell, with organists George Baker, Ken Cowan, David Higgs, Alan Morrison, and Todd Wilson. Memorial gifts in her name may be made to Hospice of the Western Reserve (hospicewr.org), or to the American Guild of Organists in support of the National Young Artists Competition in Organ Performance (agohq.org).
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