New Associate Director of Music Hired
April 12, 2023
I’m very pleased to announce that beginning May 1, Celina Kobetitsch will join the Trinity staff as Associate Director of Music! During the interview process, the search committee, Dean Meaux, and I were impressed with Celina’s organ playing, musicianship, and demeanor, and we are confident that she will do much to enhance Trinity’s worship and music program. Celina has been studying in Europe for the past four years and will be moving to Little Rock from Leipzig, Germany at the end of this month. I encourage you to read her biography below, visit her website, and introduce yourself on her first Sunday at Trinity, May 7th. I’m grateful to the search committee members, Susan Mehlburger, Caroline Elliott, Ben Utter, and Chalmer Wayland, for sharing their time and counsel throughout the search process. I am very excited about the future of Trinity’s music program, as well as that of the whole cathedral community.
Yours,
Colin MacKnight
Celina's Bio:
American organist Celina Kobetitsch, born in Cleveland, Ohio and raised in Naperville, Illinois, has seen much of the world since. She has appeared in many concerts at major venues throughout Europe and most recently completed her organ master’s degree with high honors at the Hochschule für Musik in Leipzig, both the oldest and one of the most prestigious music schools in Germany. In 2020, she was the recipient of a U.S. Fulbright research grant to go to Germany, and in 2022, she received the highly selective DAAD music scholarship to continue her studies there. Other notable organ prizes include first prize at the Fugato Organ Competition, the Ruth and Paul Manz Organ Scholarship, and awards from the Kölner Stiftungsfonds. During her organ studies, Kobetitsch pursued minors in choral conducting and harpsichord, and performed frequently as organist, harpsichordist, and pianist with many notable Leipzig ensembles. Before coming to Germany, she pursued a two-year artist diploma at the Conservatoire de Toulouse in France under the renowned organist Michel Bouvard. Having performed at major venues such as St. Nicholas Church in Leipzig, St. Wenzel's Church in Naumburg, and the Basilica of St. Sernin in Toulouse, just to name a few, Celina has gained close experience with some of the world’s most magnificent historic organs. Although she has established herself as a skilled organist, she possesses a strong background in piano and completed her Bachelor’s degree in piano performance at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. During her studies at Oberlin, she was organist for Bethany English Lutheran Church in Cleveland, Ohio as well as at Bay Presbyterian Church. Winner of the Carol Nott Prize for Excellence in Piano Pedagogy and a piano teacher since the age of 15, Celina also loves teaching and working with individuals of all ages. She is also very interested in entrepreneurial projects and community engagement. During her studies at Oberlin, she co-founded and led an organization, “Concerts for Good,” which fundraised thousands of dollars for local nonprofits through community music events. While it’s hard to say goodbye to Leipzig (the city of J.S. Bach), Celina is absolutely overjoyed to join the wonderful music program at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Little Rock very soon.