October 25, 2021 I Obituary
Print Music Veteran Holger Siems Passes Away
Holger Siems
German music publisher G. Henle Verlag has announced the passing of Holger Siems. Beginning in 1976, Siems was the head of the company’s sales department in Munich before becoming managing director of its subsidiary G. Henle USA Corp. in St. Louis in 1986. According to the company, G. Henle USA Corp. started as a temporary secondment but became a success story thanks to Siem’s “energy, perseverance, knowledge, skill and passion.” During his 21 years in the U.S., he succeeded in popularizing the blue Urtext editions throughout the market, almost quadrupling Urtext sales during these two decades. Thanks to Siem’s work, the U.S. is still the company’s largest single market today. The St. Louis office was closed when Siems retired in 2007, and the exclusive distribution rights were transferred to Hal Leonard. Until his retirement in 2007, Holger Siems was the face and voice of G. Henle Verlag in the U.S.
Madeleine Crouch, former executive director of RPMDA, said, “Holger understood the value of travel to open doors, promote business and foster cultural understanding. Holger was charming and sophisticated with a wonderful sense of humor that knew no borders. He was a truly generous colleague to his fellow publishers and a trusted advisor to his dealer customers. We will miss him!”
