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!”

 

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Philosophy:

PREP Choir is ACYC’s first experience for young singers to learn to read a singer’s score (sheet music) and to function like a choir. There are many building blocks to these skills including holding music, note reading, visual recognition, pitch matching, physical and mental focus, acquisition of music language, and understanding a director’s gestures. 

Focus will be on “working as a team” and singing beautifully with confidence.  Music repertoire will include canons/rounds, partner songs, songs with ostinato, and unison melodies.