Director Rick Cobb
Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Rick Cobb has devoted more than thirty years of his life to the choral field; directing choirs and ensembles for children, youth, and adults across churches in Georgia and Indianapolis, Indiana. That calling was sealed in a single, unforgettable moment.
The novelist Graham Greene once wrote that “there is always one moment in childhood when the door opens and lets the future in.” For Rick, that moment arrived at age ten, when his family began attending a larger church in downtown Atlanta. On their very first Sunday, the music minister stepped to the podium and delivered a downbeat that released what Rick describes as an incredible sonic force from the choir and orchestra. He had never experienced anything like it from a live performance. He was mesmerized watching the conductor draw luscious sounds from a unified group of voices and instruments through the graceful arc of a baton. In that instant, he knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life shaping and interpreting sound — as voices and hearts unite in song.
Ten years later, his first professional position brought that vision full circle: he was hired as the assistant to that very same mesmerizing choir director. Standing before the same choir and orchestra that had captivated him as a child, Rick felt the weight and privilege of a solid foundation being laid beneath his feet. Throughout his school years he had sung eagerly in choirs and ensembles at both school and church. He went on to study vocal performance and choral conducting at Georgia State University. He has been a member of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus singing under the baton of Robert Shaw and Nathalie Stutzmann. He also sang multiple seasons with the Atlanta Opera Company chorus under the direction of William Fred Scott back in the 1990’s.
In 2017, he launched the Resonance Initiative in Indianapolis — an artistic and cultural, multi-faceted effort that harnesses the power of song to build bridges and enrich the life-stories of individuals and communities.
As part of the Resonance Initiative, he also launched SongShape, a one-of-a-kind choral experience designed for people living with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia, along with their care partners.
Through weekly rehearsals, joyful community connection, and a culminating live performance, SongShape offered a powerful reminder that a full and meaningful life is possible at every stage of the journey. He is eager to extend that work to Atlanta, where his journey began.
Today, Rick serves as Worship Arts & Pastoral Care Pastor at Church at Wieuca in Buckhead.
Rick has been married for 28 years to his bride Trish, a middle school math teacher. Together they have three adult sons and make their home in Smyrna, Georgia.
