By: Justin Bobo
Southern Adventist University’s new choir director, Rina Ritivoiu, brings more than two decades of experience and a vision to create a space of belonging within the music department.
Ritivoiu, who holds a PhD in Musical Arts, Sacred Arts and Choral Arts from the University of Southern California, said in a recent interview with the Accent that choir leadership is rooted in a philosophy she has carried since her youth.
As a student, she asked her choir director why he never became angry during rehearsals. He replied, “How can I get angry and yell at people with the same lips that I want to praise God?”
Ritivoiu said the moment shaped how she views music, leadership and the importance of setting an example.
Despite her confident presence today, Ritivoiu said she did not initially picture herself directing choirs. She described her younger self as shy and more comfortable accompanying ensembles from the piano.
Over time, she realized she wanted a more active role in shaping musical expression. That decision led her to pursue conducting, launching a 22-year journey in choral leadership and music education.
Early in her teaching career, Ritivoiu helped expand musical opportunities at a school with limited resources. According to Ritivoiu, she and her husband invested personal funds to acquire instruments and establish student ensembles, hoping to create an environment of access and growth.
Ritivoiu said her path to Southern was guided by prayer. Before accepting the position, she was teaching music in Kauai, Hawaii, and preparing to settle on the island long-term. After surrendering her career plans and trusting that her work would unfold where it was needed, she received a call encouraging her to apply for Southern’s open choir director position.
During her campus interview visit, Ritivoiu unexpectedly encountered Southern’s former choir director, Gennevieve Brown-Kibble, whom she had met years earlier. After learning why Ritivoiu was on campus, Kibble prayed with her and expressed hope that she would become the next director.
Choir members said Ritivoiu’s emphasis on purpose and meaning is already influencing rehearsals.
“You could just stand there and sing notes,” choir member Clarissa Tching said. “But with her emphasis on the meaning of the text, choir becomes a more meaningful experience.”
Samuel Vargas, another choir member, said Ritivoiu’s leadership style is both welcoming and musically intentional.
“She’s brought a very inviting atmosphere to the choir,” Vargas said. “She’s brought the feeling that anyone can sing well in choir.”
Looking ahead, Ritivoiu said she hopes to expand the choir’s presence beyond traditional concert settings. She envisions informal campus performances, outreach opportunities and collaborative projects that bring choral music into everyday spaces.
“One thing I enjoy in choir teaching is what I call blurring the line between audience and performers,” Ritivoiu said.
At the heart of her work is a desire to create belonging through music. Her given name, 서리나 or Seorina, is connected to the idea of sound, which she said reflects a lifelong calling to serve through song.
As Southern’s choral program begins this new chapter, students said they are looking forward to the leadership and vision Ritivoiu brings to campus.
