Bio
Dr. Kristina Ziema Rizzotto has played concerts in Argentina, Brazil, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, and in 22 American states and the District of Columbia. Highlights include Rīga Dom Cathedral and Liepāja’s Holy Trinity Cathedral in Latvia; Pelplin Cathedral International Organ Festival in Poland; Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston; Christopher Summer Festival in Vilnius, Lithuania; Basilica of the Blessed Sacrament in Buenos Aires; Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Denver; Anchorage Lutheran Church in Alaska; the American Guild of Organists’ OrganFest 2021 at the Cathedral of Saint Paul in Minnesota; and masses at the Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican at the invitation of the Apostolic Penitentiary.
For her performance at the North Central American Guild of Organists 2023 Regional Convention, she was praised as “an exceptionally strong soloist on the Paulus concerto, making certain to bring a brightness forth amid the orchestra’s often dark lines” (Star Tribune). Her compositions and performances have appeared on the nationally syndicated radio program Pipedreams, which reaches a quarter of a million listeners each week.
Dr. Rizzotto was named a member of The Diapason’s 20 Under 30, which recognizes young leaders in the fields of organ, harpsichord, carillon, and church music. She is the Director of Music at Lake of the Isles Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. She was previously the organist at the Benedictine Abbey of Rio de Janeiro, built in 1590 and home of one of the oldest organs in South America, from 1773.
Dr. Rizzotto is also a published composer for organ, choir, and piano, with emphasis in repertoire that works well in both religious services and concert settings. Her music compositions are available for download from Augsburg Fortress and at kristinarizzotto.com, and she is open for commissions.
Dr. Rizzotto’s YouTube channel features 400+ organ, piano, and choral recordings which have been viewed over 2 million times.
Kristina holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Organ Performance from the University of Oklahoma, a Master of Music in Sacred Music and Organ Performance from East Carolina University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Magna cum Laude. She is grateful for the inspiration of her teachers and mentors, especially Miriam Grosman, Alexandre Rachid, Andrew Scanlon, Mark Taggart, and John Schwandt.
Her doctoral dissertation was about the importance of music in the formation of the national identity of the Latvian people, focusing on organ compositions by Aivars Kalējs which represent the values and spirit of the Latvian heritage.
Kristina is passionate about performing works of living composers. Composers such as Carson Cooman, Composer in Residence at Harvard University, Aivars Kalējs (Latvia), Antoine Giovannini (France), Robert Farrell (USA), Grimoaldo Macchia (Italy), and James J. Richardson (USA) have dedicated pieces to her.
Dr. Kristina Rizzotto has been married since 2015 to Dr. Clara Ferreira Rizzotto, Associate Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Minnesota Medical School.
