Casey (Hoffmire) Rinkenberger believes music is a gift from God, and she is devoted to sharing this gift through various performance mediums, as well as inspiring the next generation of young musicians through her teaching.    

A former violin student of Patricia Shih at Baylor University School of Music, Casey has had many orchestral performance opportunities.  She has enjoyed both playing in and leading the Baylor Symphony Orchestra as concertmaster under the direction of  Stephan Heyde and Miguel Harth-Bedoya.  In her role as concertmaster, Casey had the opportunity to play many prominent solos, including those in Capriccio Espangole by Rimsky Korsakov and Brahms’ Symphony No. 1.  She enjoyed leading the BSO in their Bass Hall debut in Fort Worth, TX, featuring violin soloist Richard Lin, as well as community concerts and the nationally televised “A Baylor Christmas.”  Casey also enjoyed playing in the Waco Symphony Orchestra, where she accompanied famed musicians such as Time for Three, Gil Shaham, and Norm Lewis.  In 2018, she played in an orchestra accompanying the Annie Moses Band at Carnegie Hall. 

During her tenure at Baylor, Casey played and performed with a variety of chamber groups.  She specifically loved playing with the Brazos Trio, performing the hidden gem, Babadjanian’s Piano Trio in f sharp minor.  The Brazos Trio won the opportunity to perform this work at the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, TX.  Casey also plays regularly for the Illinois based River City String Quartet.  

As a soloist, Casey organized and performed “Summer” from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons with a small chamber ensemble consisting of her Baylor string colleagues.  She was also asked to be the main musical performance for the highly attended CareNet Banquet, featuring special guest Dr. Ben Carson.  In 2019, Casey was a guest artist on WTVP Public Television for a TV special documenting Peoria’s talented youth and was also chosen as a soloist with the Youth Music Illinois Youth Symphony.   Passionate about giving voice to lesser known musical treasures, Casey loved working on a recording project of Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s Violin Concerto No. 2, “I Profeti.”  She hopes more people will come to know and love this concerto as much as she does.  

Besides performing, Casey is a very enthusiastic and inspiring teacher, having taught private violin lessons for over 10 years.  She is a member of the Suzuki Association of America and was recently appointed as a teacher in the Youth Music Illinois Suzuki School.  She is excited to use her teaching to impact future generations of young musicians there and through teaching private lessons.  For the past four years, she has enjoyed being both intern and faculty for the Heart of Illinois Summer Music Clinic.  

In addition to being on the Dean's List during her time at Baylor, Casey has received many academic and music scholarships, including the 2023 Dean’s Outstanding Performance Award.   

Passionate about both Jesus and music, Casey played in her church orchestra and praise band for three years and also started a Bible study for women within the Baylor School of Music.  Casey loved her short tenure in TX and will always be a self-declared Texan.  However, she is excited to be back in the Midwest, married to her high school sweetheart.