Danielle Bridges - Artistic Director
Danielle Bridges received her B.M. in Vocal Music Education from the University of Central Arkansas and her M.A. in Choral Conducting and Pedagogy from the University of Iowa. During her studies, Ms. Bridges discovered a particular interest in developing creative, communal textual analysis and nonverbal communication methods for use during choral rehearsals. She is a proponent for music by women composers and founded the Iowa Women’s Music Collective to advocate for the research and performance of music by women. Ms. Bridges has been selected to share her research at conferences including the International Voice Foundation Symposium and the inaugural Theorizing African-American Music conference.
In addition to her experience teaching choral music in contexts ranging from middle school to community choirs for singers in retirement communities, Ms. Bridges has served as a choral consultant for public and private schools. She serves as Bel Canto Chorus's Production and Volunteer Manager and is the current Director of Music at Community United Methodist Church in Elm Grove, WI, where she conducts the Chancel Choir, Clarion Bells, and Festival Choir.
Reach out to Danielle by email (conductor@choralunion.org) or by phone 262-238-3454
Collaborative Pianist- Simone Gheller
Simone Gheller was born in Padua, Italy in 1978. He started to play the piano at 5 and the organ at 9. He became a Liturgical Catholic Organist at the age of 9 and Music Director at 13, playing the organ and conducting the choir at his parish. After graduation from high school, he received four Master's Degrees: Piano, Organ Performance & Organ Composition, Music Education, and Choral Music & Choral Conducting. Additionally, he received a Doctorate in Organ and Organ Composition, cum laude. Dr. Gheller also studied at Oberlin College with Professor James David Christie and Olivier Latry, where he finished a prestigious program - the Artist Diploma - a great distinction in music.
He was organist at First Church in Oberlin from 2009 to 2011. From 2011 to 2013, Mr. Gheller was Music Director and Organist at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Wilmette, IL. Currently, Dr. Simone Gheller is Music Director and Organist at St. Jerome Catholic Church in Oconomowoc, WI. At this parish he’s leading the music ministry playing all masses, organ concerts and conducting four choirs: adult choir, children’s choir, handbells choir and the school choir. He’s also professor of piano and organ at Wisconsin Conservatory of Music in Milwaukee. He is a member of the American Guild of Organists since 2009.
Dr. Gheller has an extensive performing history spanning the last 30 years, with concerts in prestigious locations in Italy, France, Germany, Austria, and America among others. He has garnered many prizes, including first prize at the National Italian Organ competition “Citta' di Viterbo” in four of the six years between 1995 and 2000, first prize and gold medal from the President of Italian Republic at the Giarda National Organ Competition, first prize at the International Organ Competition Vegezzi Bossi in 2000, first prize, audience prize and two special prizes at the International Organ Competition “Grand Prix Andrè Marchal” in Biarritz (2007). Mr. Gheller has recorded four CDs: Fiori Musicali by Girolamo Frescobaldi , The Complete Choral Works with Organ by Alessandro Scarlatti for the Tactus label, the Orgelbuchlein by J.S. Bach and music by Liszt and Reubke for the Onclassical Label.
