Joan Holder McConnell teaches music theory and organ for the School of Music, and serves as a staff accompanist. Her degrees include the master’s in organ performance (University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music) and the bachelor’s in Church Music (Wittenberg University, Springfield, Ohio and Berliner Kirchenmusikschule, Germany). She has studied with Trudy Faber, Richard Benedum, David Mulbury and Karl Hochreither. In addition to these music studies, she earned a master’s degree in theological studies from the University of Notre Dame.
Students who have studied organ with Mrs. McConnell have gone on to build careers as church musicians and teachers and have taken master’s degree study in sacred music and music therapy.
Mrs. McConnell is the organist and music coordinator at Trinity United Church of Christ in Tiffin and has a special interest in supporting the training of organists for work in the church. In addition to her teaching duties at Heidelberg, she has worked with several adult organ students in Tiffin and surrounding communities. She is a member of the American Guild of Organists, currently serving a two-year term as dean of the Toledo Chapter.
