About Stephan Casurella, Director of Music

Stephan Casurella was born in England, where he began studying piano, organ and music composition at an early age. He moved to the United States in 1987, where he continued studying music and won numerous performance awards and scholarships. In 1994, he earned a bachelor of arts degree in piano performance and music composition from Seattle Pacific University, graduating summa cum laude. Two years later, he was awarded a master of music degree in piano performance from the University of Missouri-Kansas City where he studied with Richard Cass. In 1999, he received a second M. M. degree in composition from UMKC; his principal teachers were James Mobberley and Gerald Kemner. He completed a doctor of musical arts degree in church music (organ emphasis) at the University of Kansas under James Higdon and Michael Bauer in 2009. He has also pursued additional studies in harpsichord, instrumental conducting, and choral conducting.

From 1996 to 2000, Stephan was an adjunct faculty member at Avila College where he taught piano, organ, choral arranging and piano pedagogy. During the 1999-2000 academic year, he also served as the music division preparatory program coordinator at Avila. From 1998 to 2006, he held the post of director of music (principal organist and choral director) at Our Saviour Lutheran Church in Kansas City. In 2006, Casurella was named principal organist and associate director of music at Village Presbyterian Church in Prairie Village, KS.

Stephan joined the staff of Christ Church Cathedral in the summer of 2009 as the director of music. He and his wife, Rae, have two sons, Ryan and Aidan.