Biography
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After dual-enrolling and receiving an Associate’s degree upon completion of high school curriculum, Michelle continued her music studies at Stetson University, graduating in May of 2012 with a Bachelor of Music in organ performance. At Stetson, she received a full tuition scholarship to study under the direction of Dr. Boyd Jones. Michelle was also a Florida Bright Futures Scholar and a recipient of the William E. Duckwitz Scholarship. At Stetson, Michelle studied under Dr. Boyd Jones and worked often under Maestro Anthony Hose, Dr. Alan Raines, Dr. Manuel de Murga, and Dr. Sydney Hodkinson. She was heavily involved in the Student Composer Forum and served as the primary continuo player for the Stetson University Chamber Orchestra.
Originally from St. Petersburg, Florida, Michelle has traveled extensively through Europe and Central America and has lived in several other countries. In 2004, Michelle and her family spent a year in Segovia, Spain for the sole purpose of experiencing another culture and acquiring a new language. They returned several times to live in Spain and also spent several months in Guanajuato, Mexico. Michelle further fueled her interest in cultures and language with a semester of music study at the Pädagogische Hochschule in Freiburg, Germany in 2011. During this time, she traveled throughout Europe, attended organ conferences, and played on a variety of historical instruments in Germany, Denmark, Holland and the Czech Republic. In Freiburg, Michelle became the jazz pianist of the university big band and sang in the school choir. She also composed and performed in a new music ensemble which focused on the works of John Cage. Michelle’s involvement in new music and composition stemmed from her time at Stetson, where she wrote and premiered a variety of eclectic works including Whirlybirds for two pianos, and Thus Spokes Zarathustra for piano and bicycle wheel.
In 2014 Michelle received her Master's degree in Sacred Music from Duquesne University where she studied under Dr. Ann Labounsky and also served as the Graduate Assistant for the organ department. While completing her graduate studies, she held the position of Director of Music Ministry at the Presbyterian Church of Plum Creek, where she created a children's music ensemble and directed several large-scale cantatas. Michelle later served as the Organist/Choir Director at St. John's Lutheran Church of Highland where she directed an adult choir of 25-30 singers for all traditional worship services in additional to choral concerts. While at Duquesne University, Michelle coordinated all chapel services, organized curriculum, and created a graduate handbook for future sacred music majors. She also helped to organize an organ studio trip to France where she and her colleagues attended masterclasses and played organs at Saint Sulpice, Notre Dame, St. Trinite, Notre Dame d'Auteil, St. Denis, La Madeleine, among others. The Duquesne organ studio also traveled to the Solesmes Monastery for an extensive study of chant with Benedictine monks. Michelle's thesis title is The Liturgical Symbolism of the Modern Chorale Preludes of Vincent Persichetti and she performed her graduate recital at St. Paul's Cathedral in Pittsburgh, PA. At her graduation, Michelle was presented with the Jean Langlais Award for Excellence in Sacred Music.
After completing her graduate work, she moved to Seattle where she took the position of Organist at Seattle First Baptist Church. There, she provided music for all worship services, worked with soloists and chamber ensembles, and accompanied the 60-voice sanctuary choir in services as well as major choral concerts (including Bach's Magnificat and Leonard Bernstein's Mass). She introduced many new musical programs to the church such as A Solstice Contemplation, Notes of Gratitude: A Thanksgiving Concert, The Seven Last Words of Christ: A Good Friday Musical Meditation, Dueling Organists, and A New Year's Cabaret. She also gave several programmatic post-compline organ recitals at St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral including Meditations on War and Peace and Meditations of Lost and Found. While at Seattle First Baptist Church, Michelle premiered over 25 original compositions and arrangements. She also performed with the Seattle Philharmonic in several concerts as a guest organist. While in Seattle, Michelle also served as the accompanist for Diverse Harmony, the nation's first and largest queer-straight alliance youth choir which consists of a 50-voice chorus as well as an auditioned, a capella, 16-voice ensemble called Spectrum. She was the main accompanist for the combined youth choir for the GALA Convention of 2016 in Denver, CO. Michelle also served as a board member on the Seattle Chapter of the AGO.
In 2017 Michelle moved to Connecticut and served as the Director of Music at St. Matthew Lutheran Church (ELCA) of Avon, CT throughout 2017-2018 program year. In August of 2018, she succeeded Maestro Richard Coffey as Director of Music at South Church in New Britain and as the Artistic Director of the renowned South Church Music Series. She also serves on the Jolidon Grant Sub-Committee, which distributes substantial annual funding for organ study and diverse musical programming throughout New England. During summer, Michelle works as the Associate Music Director for the West Hartford Summer Arts Festival. She also does freelance work as a recording artist, guest organist/pianist, and music educator throughout Connecticut.
In 2020 she accepted the position of Director of Music Ministries at Trinity Episcopal Church (https://www.trinityhartford.org) and as Music Director of the Choir School of Hartford (https://www.choirschoolofhartford.org). She was also voted to be the Dean of the Greater Hartford AGO Chapter, where she currently serves.
Originally from St. Petersburg, Florida, Michelle has traveled extensively through Europe and Central America and has lived in several other countries. In 2004, Michelle and her family spent a year in Segovia, Spain for the sole purpose of experiencing another culture and acquiring a new language. They returned several times to live in Spain and also spent several months in Guanajuato, Mexico. Michelle further fueled her interest in cultures and language with a semester of music study at the Pädagogische Hochschule in Freiburg, Germany in 2011. During this time, she traveled throughout Europe, attended organ conferences, and played on a variety of historical instruments in Germany, Denmark, Holland and the Czech Republic. In Freiburg, Michelle became the jazz pianist of the university big band and sang in the school choir. She also composed and performed in a new music ensemble which focused on the works of John Cage. Michelle’s involvement in new music and composition stemmed from her time at Stetson, where she wrote and premiered a variety of eclectic works including Whirlybirds for two pianos, and Thus Spokes Zarathustra for piano and bicycle wheel.
In 2014 Michelle received her Master's degree in Sacred Music from Duquesne University where she studied under Dr. Ann Labounsky and also served as the Graduate Assistant for the organ department. While completing her graduate studies, she held the position of Director of Music Ministry at the Presbyterian Church of Plum Creek, where she created a children's music ensemble and directed several large-scale cantatas. Michelle later served as the Organist/Choir Director at St. John's Lutheran Church of Highland where she directed an adult choir of 25-30 singers for all traditional worship services in additional to choral concerts. While at Duquesne University, Michelle coordinated all chapel services, organized curriculum, and created a graduate handbook for future sacred music majors. She also helped to organize an organ studio trip to France where she and her colleagues attended masterclasses and played organs at Saint Sulpice, Notre Dame, St. Trinite, Notre Dame d'Auteil, St. Denis, La Madeleine, among others. The Duquesne organ studio also traveled to the Solesmes Monastery for an extensive study of chant with Benedictine monks. Michelle's thesis title is The Liturgical Symbolism of the Modern Chorale Preludes of Vincent Persichetti and she performed her graduate recital at St. Paul's Cathedral in Pittsburgh, PA. At her graduation, Michelle was presented with the Jean Langlais Award for Excellence in Sacred Music.
After completing her graduate work, she moved to Seattle where she took the position of Organist at Seattle First Baptist Church. There, she provided music for all worship services, worked with soloists and chamber ensembles, and accompanied the 60-voice sanctuary choir in services as well as major choral concerts (including Bach's Magnificat and Leonard Bernstein's Mass). She introduced many new musical programs to the church such as A Solstice Contemplation, Notes of Gratitude: A Thanksgiving Concert, The Seven Last Words of Christ: A Good Friday Musical Meditation, Dueling Organists, and A New Year's Cabaret. She also gave several programmatic post-compline organ recitals at St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral including Meditations on War and Peace and Meditations of Lost and Found. While at Seattle First Baptist Church, Michelle premiered over 25 original compositions and arrangements. She also performed with the Seattle Philharmonic in several concerts as a guest organist. While in Seattle, Michelle also served as the accompanist for Diverse Harmony, the nation's first and largest queer-straight alliance youth choir which consists of a 50-voice chorus as well as an auditioned, a capella, 16-voice ensemble called Spectrum. She was the main accompanist for the combined youth choir for the GALA Convention of 2016 in Denver, CO. Michelle also served as a board member on the Seattle Chapter of the AGO.
In 2017 Michelle moved to Connecticut and served as the Director of Music at St. Matthew Lutheran Church (ELCA) of Avon, CT throughout 2017-2018 program year. In August of 2018, she succeeded Maestro Richard Coffey as Director of Music at South Church in New Britain and as the Artistic Director of the renowned South Church Music Series. She also serves on the Jolidon Grant Sub-Committee, which distributes substantial annual funding for organ study and diverse musical programming throughout New England. During summer, Michelle works as the Associate Music Director for the West Hartford Summer Arts Festival. She also does freelance work as a recording artist, guest organist/pianist, and music educator throughout Connecticut.
In 2020 she accepted the position of Director of Music Ministries at Trinity Episcopal Church (https://www.trinityhartford.org) and as Music Director of the Choir School of Hartford (https://www.choirschoolofhartford.org). She was also voted to be the Dean of the Greater Hartford AGO Chapter, where she currently serves.