Justin Raffa is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey, where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education with a vocal concentration. As a student, Justin performed under the batons of some of the world’s leading orchestras and conductors, including Riccardo Muti with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Riccardo Chailly with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and Joseph Flummerfelt with the New York Philharmonic, in addition to conducting studies with James Jordan. Justin led the Bisbee High School (Arizona) choral and theatre departments for several years before receiving a Master’s Degree in Choral Conducting at the University of Arizona, where he conducted the UA Faculty/Staff Choir, served as Minister of Music at Rincon Congregational United Church of Christ and was assistant conductor of the Southern Arizona Women’s Chorus.
Since his arrival in the Tri-Cities, Washington in 2008, Justin has focused on enhancing the quality of life in his community through arts and culture. In addition to his primary role as Artistic Director of the Mid-Columbia Mastersingers, Justin worked for several years as Chorusmaster of the Yakima Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Manager of the Mid-Columbia Symphony and Chorusmaster of the Oregon East Symphony. Locally, Justin has also served as an actor, music director and board member with Mid-Columbia Musical Theatre, music director with Columbia Basin College Summer Showcase productions and Minister of Music at All Saints Episcopal Church. He is a former board member with the Washington state and Northwest Region chapters of the American Choral Directors Association. Additionally, Justin has been an adjudicator for festivals and competitions for regional music and theatre education associations.
Justin has sung as part of the Berkshire Choral Festival, Spoleto Festival U.S.A., Voces Novae et Antiquae, the Tucson Symphony Orchestra Chorus, Male Ensemble Northwest, and he continues to perform with both the Festival Chorus of the Oregon Bach Festival and True Concord Voices & Orchestra of which he is a proud founding member. In Washington state, Justin sings with Chor Anno, the Tacoma Bach Festival and the Portland Phoenix Chamber Choir, ensembles made up of professional choral musicians.
Justin is a passionate advocate for the arts and is the immediate past chair of the board of both the City of Richland’s and Washington State’s Arts Commissions. The City of Richland Arts Commission honored him with its 2011 award for Outstanding Individual Contribution to the Arts. He was an eight year board member with the Arts Center Task Force and has returned as board chair in 2025 to help build a much needed performing arts center in the Tri-Cities. Justin is a past chair of Leadership Tri-Cities, Past President of the Richland Rotary Club, and can be seen as a frequent performer and emcee for many charitable events across his community. He was awarded the Washington State 2013 Outstanding Emerging Choral Conductor, the Columbia Basin Music Educators Association 2014 Friend of Music, and he is a graduate of Leadership Tri-Cities Class XIX. Outside of the arts, Justin is a member of the City of Richland’s Board of Adjustment, the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Local Government Affairs Committee, and he proudly ran as a candidate for for public office in 2020. Justin lives with his partner of twenty years Molly Holleran, singer and voice teacher extraordinaire, in Richland, Washington.
