Music Ministry
Paul Benya
Organist
Paul Benya has been our beloved organist since 1988! He grew up in yonkers, NY and got the organ bug as a young boy playing a spinet organ at home. He discovered the depth an beauty of the pipe organ in high school and went to Concordia College in New York, where he studied with Dr. Richard J. Heschke. He went on to study at Valparaiso University in Indiana with Dr. Phil Goehring. Paul loves all music and all instruments but loves the pipe organ most for its complexity and beauty. Mozart said that the pipe organ is the king of all instruments and Paul agrees! Paul lives in Kennebunk with his partner Kristin.
Ellie Rolnick
Choir Director
Serving as choir director since 2008, Ellie was called to music ministry and choral leading while attending the very first ChoralFest at Ferry Beach in 2007.
Ellie’s personal mission statement is to “bring love, light and healing to the world through chiropractic and music.” She received her Music Leadership Credentials through the Unitarian Universalist Association in 2014. She has been a chiropractor for over 45 years and is retiring in place seeing patients only two days a week. She spends part of her time away from her practice honing her music-writing skills and bringing more of her original songs to life.
In 2008 she helped create Harbour Singers, a bedside choir for end of life. Although Ellie is no longer at its helm, the group continues to fulfill its mission and continues as part of the UUCSB outreach.