Kantor Richard Resch

Kantor Resch grew up in Rochester, New York, where he studied organ at the Eastman School of Music preparatory department while in high school. During that time he also served as organist and choir director for two choirs at his LCMS parish.

His undergraduate college studies include study at Concordia College, River Forest, and Valparaiso University. During this time he studied with Paul Bunjes, Charles Ore, Herbert Gotsch, Philip Gehring, Theodore Hoelty-Nickel, L.L. Fleming and Richard Wienhorst. In 1970 he graduated from Valparaiso University with a Bachelor of Music in organ performance and church music.

He then entered graduate studies at the Eastman School of Music, where he studied with Russell Saunders and David Craighead and was graduate assistant to M. Alfred Bichsel. In 1972 he received the Master of Music degree in organ performance from Eastman. During this time he was organist and choir director at Faith Lutheran Church, Penfield, New York.

In 1977, he became the director of Chapel Music at Concordia Theological Seminary (CTSFW). Fort Wayne, Indiana, and began theological studies. In 1978 he formed the Seminary Kantorei, a select choir of seminary students who traveled twice annually to bring the seminary and its music to the church. He received the Master of Divinity degree in 1988, was ordained and called to CTSFW and St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Fort Wayne, in the office of kantor. At St. Paul’s Lutheran Church he produced four CDs with his wife, Barbara, featuring children singing hymns. He taught liturgics and homiletics at CTSFW.

In 2000, Resch launched the Good Shepherd Institute of Pastoral Theology and Sacred Music together with co-director Dr. Arthur A. Just Jr. During his years at CTSFW and with the institute, Resch produced seven Kantorei CDs, one CD for the Good Shepherd Institute and the DVD Singing the Faith: Living the Lutheran Musical Heritage.

He retired from CTSFW in July 2014. He then moved to St. Paul, Minnesota, and has since been serving both the North and South Districts of Minnesota in various preaching, teaching and vacancy capacities.