DMA candidate Rina Ritivoiu produces album of Christian music in Navajo language

Rina Ritivoiu, a doctoral candidate in the USC Thornton Choral & Sacred Music program, has produced the first album of Christian children’s music in the Navajo language. Ritivoiu arranged 10 Christian songs in the language and worked with a chorus of Navajo children to record the songs in Flagstaff, Arizona, over a period of two days. “In addition to the spiritual benefits that will be received by Navajo children, I also felt satisfied knowing that we were preserving an important piece of the beautiful Navajo culture: their language,” Ritivoiu said.

The album is currently sold by select retailers, but will be made available online. Ritivoiu serves as assistant conductor and accompanist for the Los Angeles Zimriyah Chorale and music director for the Cerritos Seventh Day Adventist Church.