Cantabile Choir
Michelle Gehrz
Director:
Michelle Gehrz is the conductor of Cantabile, and also leads Angelica’s Prelude Choir Class and Prep Choir Class. Michelle is a passionate and joyful choral conductor, music educator, accompanist, church musician, and organist in the Twin Cities. She holds degrees in music education, sacred music, and organ performance from St. Olaf College, University of Notre Dame, and University of St. Thomas (ABT) and has her Orff Certification from UST.
Michelle is the Artistic Director of Bella Lumina – an adult treble choir based in Hopkins, and also directs the Music Association of Minnetonka Senior Chorale (55+). She is a collaborative pianist for ACDA-MN Honor Choirs, MMEA All-State Choirs, Minnetonka High School, and Mound Westonka High School. She has served as the R&R Chair for Children’s/Youth Choirs for ACDA-MN. Michelle was the conductor of the ACDA-MN 4-5-6 Girls State Honor Choir in May 2023. Her school music teaching career has spanned all grade levels K-12 and has included teaching at Mounds Park Academy (St. Paul), St. Croix Preparatory Academy (Stillwater), and in the Wayzata School District. She has served as Organist/Choir Director at many churches including the Cathedral of St. Paul, Lake of the Isles Lutheran, Mount Calvary Lutheran (Excelsior), Hennepin Avenue UMC, and St. Anthony Park UCC. Michelle was named the Choral Director of the Year by ACDA-MN in 2024.
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Michelle’s greatest calling and wish for her time on this earth is simply to be a bringer together of singers. “I hope to be a catalyst for others to spread light, to find hope, and to feel immense joy through song!”
Philosophy:
Cantabile will sing some unison music, two-part songs and songs with simple three-part harmonies. The main purpose is to learn to sing beautifully and correctly using the best of choral literature from a variety of cultures. Performance opportunities can help the groups achieve this goal, but it is the learning that goes on in the weekly rehearsals that is most important. To sing beautifully and correctly, singers learn proper posture, correct breathing to produce a free floated tone and sensitively shaped phrases, good diction and articulation, how to release tension in the body, and how to listen and blend. Other important objectives for the singers are to learn to focus and concentrate on all aspects of music-making; to work as a well-disciplined, caring team; to learn to read music; to become aware of music history, musical styles, and the place of music in various cultures; and to become aware of the power of music as a form of expression.
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