Erika-Maria Matthes

1931 - 2023

Erika-Maria Matthes
July 1, 1931 - March 6, 2023
Erika-Maria Matthes peacefully passed away on March 6, 2023 at the age of 91. She was Born in Nuremberg, Germany on July 1, 1931. As an only child, Erika was encouraged to play the piano at an early age. Her main schooling was originally in Mathematics and Physics, but she became interested in Music to pursue a BA and MA in Musicology. Through her concerts in American Houses, she met her future husband Walter Matthes in 1959 and moved to San Francisco. Erika taught music at Mercy High School in San Francisco, and Notre Dame College in Belmont. Erika was the harpsichordist of the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra, the Oakland symphony, and Bach-to-Mozart Group, and the San Francisco Bach Festival. She held the post of music director at Grace Evangelical Lutheran from the late 60s to 2016. She also conducted German Choral Groups, starting with a choir in San Jose and in Belmont, Richmond, San Francisco and Oakland. With these groups she traveled and concertized in Germany, France, Italy, Hungary, Austria, Oregon, Washington, Canada, Illinois, Wisconsin, and California. Her favorite group became the Male Choir 'The Freundschaft Liederkranz'. Her singers became her family and she was happiest when she was with them.