Our team
“We want to contribute to making something of the ‘Kingdom of God’ tangible among creative artists and in the cultural world, and to enable artists to contribute their gifts to churches. Our focus: working with professional musicians in the fields of classical music, jazz, and ballet dancers.” (Beat Rink)
Tarjányi Tamás
Team Leader of Crescendo International Leadership, Opera singer
CONTACT: tamas.tarjanyi@crescendohungary.org
SUPPORT
Beat Rink
Founder of Crescendo International
Beat is a theologian and an ordained Minister of the Swiss Reformed Church. He has also studied linguistics, literature, and history. To date, he has published several of his books, including some of his poetry.
Beat works full-time for Crescendo.CONTACT: beat.rink@crescendointernational.org
SUPPORT
Airi Rink
Founder of Crescendo International
Airi originates from Finland and now lives in Switzerland. She is a psychological counsellor and a conference speaker.
Promotes spiritual movement in the world of music and culture. Specialty: MentoringCONTACT: airi.rink@crescendointernational.org
SUPPORT
Malin Hartelius
Member of Crescendo International Leadership, Opera singer
Swedish-born soprano Malin Hartelius studied in Vienna and began her career as a member of the Vienna State Opera. From 1991 to 2012, she was a permanent member of the Zurich Opera House. More…
CONTACT: malin.hartelius@crescendointernational.org
Guntars Pranis
Member of Crescendo International Leadership,
Musicologist – Conductor – Performer
Guntars Pranis is an internationally recognized musicologist, conductor, and early music scholar who served as Rector of the Latvian Academy of Music from 2017 to 2024. Holding a PhD on medieval Riga’s sacred music, he furthered his expertise through research in Benedictine monasteries and advanced studies across Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. Pranis is the founder and artistic director of the renowned ensemble Schola Cantorum Riga, as well as an active performer on the hurdy-gurdy, singer, and conductor—notably directing a 1,200-singer choir at the 2023 Latvian Song Festival. An in-demand international lecturer, he also led Crescendo International’s Latvian ministry from 1997 to 2017, organizing numerous creative church services and evangelistic concerts.
Ashley Latvala
Member of the Extended Leadership Team
Leader of Crescendo Dance
Ashley is a former ballet dancer from Seattle, Washington. She has taught and directed dance programs in the U.S. and Russia, and has studied pedagogy at the Vaganova Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg. Ashley began Crescendo Dance with the vision of offering spiritual support, encouragement, and community to professional dancers in the mainstream world of dance.
CONTACT: ashley.latvala@cru.org
Franz Weidauer
Member of the Extended Leadership Team
Leader of Crescendo Jazz
Franz studied mathematics and is a passionate electric guitarist. He is inspired by art and music – especially as an expression of an encounter with God. He wants to accompany and encourage people so that creativity is given space. In his musical career, he has played in various worship bands and jazz combos. His interests include jazz, indie and electronic music.
He has been a member of the team since summer 2021 and the overall director of crescendo Germany since May 2024. His focus is also on administrative tasks and crescendo JAZZ.CONTACT: franz.weidauer@crescendo-deutschland.de
Delta David Gier
Conductor
Member of the Extended Leadership Team
Delta David Gier, winner of Columbia University’s 2022 Ditson Conductor’s Award, has served as Music Director of the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra (SDSO) since 2004. Recognized for his dynamic leadership, living composer advocacy, and major international guest conducting engagements, he has transformed the SDSO into a celebrated model of community engagement. His tenure is highlighted by innovative Pulitzer-focused programming, seven ASCAP awards, and groundbreaking cross-cultural initiatives like the Lakota Music Project and Bridging Cultures programs, which foster community healing through musical collaboration. Formerly an Assistant Conductor of the New York Philharmonic and a Fulbright scholar, Gier is also an active educator and former chair of the Pulitzer Prize music jury.
MoreFind our country leaders and groups
on our map
MAPWhat do we do?
We network, inspire and strengthen professional dancers and musicians in classical music and jazz so that their art, their lives and their spirituality can inspire each other and create resonance spaces for God.
We reach our goals through a wide variety of projects such as meetings, conferences, forums, concerts, musicians prayer meetings, play & pray, and various musical and artistic projects.
Crescendo Brands and Projects
Crescendo Summer Institute
Crescendo Summer Institute provides an excellent opportunity for concentrated work in the performing arts and provides assistance in preparation for exams and auditions.
Excellent soloists and members of leading European and American orchestras teach the Crescendo Summer Institute’s master classes to intermediate and advanced arts students that join us from more than 35 countries.
Creative Church
Creative Church is a project of Crescendo International. We began with is in the late 1990’s and were motivated by the fact that many Christian musicians and other artists wanted to invest their gifts in churches and worship services, but didn’t find the right platform to do so.
Another motivational factor for this artistic church service was the realisation that people in the postmodern world are more interested in a holistic experience of God, than merely word-
centred teachings.
The arts play an increasing role when it comes to reaching people with the gospel; churches are starting to discover this as well.
CMD network
Networking is vital for artists
The Crescendo network spans the globe and is constantly growing!
We offer you the opportunity to join a global network by registering with us.
Our CMD is open to all professional musicians and dancers free of charge. It is a worldwide database designed to help you find and interact with like-minded colleagues from around the world.
Play and Pray
Music and prayer have always been deeply related to each other, both in different global cultures and the richness of Christian traditions. In the practice of Play & Pray, classical & jazz musicians use their instruments to improvise prayer music, responding to Scripture readings, and engaging in a spirit of ’selah’, as in the book of Psalms.
The Crescendo network has many cities with active groups that regularly come together for prayer music improvisation, in which the focus can vary from personal meditation in front of God, praying and interceding as a group, and improvising Sound Blessings for people as a form of blessing.
The Play&Pray movement is currently experiencing a season of strong growth, and the launch of a website with details on the international network is in progress for spring 2025.
At this time, for more information on the movement and how to take part, please email playandpray@crescendo.org.
Contact person: Pauliina Haustein: playandpray@crescendo.org
SELAH and SELAH2go
REFLECTION TIME FOR ARTISTS
SELAH (סֶלָה) is the small, untranslatable Hebrew word in the Psalms of the Bible that indicates a pause: A time for an interlude for the musicians or a lingering time for the worshippers. SELAH is a personal reflection time for your art and your relationship with God. Selah is an invitation into God’s presence. New every day. Over the course of three weeks. A lively online community of professional musicians and artists from various disciplines.
Impulses, suggestions and input via video for your artistic work, your everyday life and your relationship with God.
A time-out at your own pace at the beginning of the year.
With three ingredients:
– bible section
– online meeting
– primetime
Initiated by Crescendo Germany in german language
(Organized also by Crescendo South Africa in english)
Night of Faith
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
More