John Schaefer writes a weekly guide to local classical performances. Subscribe to his recommendations here.
Attending a concert can be a people-watching experience as much as a music-listening one. If you've attended classical music concerts in Kansas City over the past four decades, you may have noticed a besuited gentleman named John Schaefer. He maintained this ubiquitous presence at classical performances even as he was music director and organist at Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral.
John, now Canon Musician Emeritus at Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral, has brought this expertise to writing weekly concert recommendations distributed by Classical KC.
John grew up in a musical family in Ohio. "My parents loved classical music and also popular music that was beautiful," Schaefer says, "we had it in our house all the time."
"People make the difference...we had good people doing good work."John Schaefer
He trained in organ, choral directing and sacred music at the Ohio State University, Union Theological Seminary, the Royal Academy of Music and the University of Oxford New College in England. In 1976 he took a job as organist and music director at Kansas City's Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral. "People make the difference and we've always had good people at the Cathedral," recalls Schaefer, "we had good people doing good work." John was also organist at Park University for 27 years and has served on advisory boards for many local ensembles and organizations.
Along with his wife Leona, Schaefer frequented local theaters and classical music venues. Leona started a weekly concert recommendations email and after her passing in 2021, Schaefer has remained dedicated to the effort. "I want people to love classical music, and I want them to hear it in, if possible, an in-person experience. We are so fortunate right now in Kansas City to have so much good classical music art. It's just a wonderful place to exist."
