Michael Chapel - Artistic Director
Michael Chapel is the choir specialist at Brown Deer Middle/High School, where he directs nine different ensembles including three middle school choirs, five high school choirs, and handbells. He is also the musical theater director, the fine arts event and scheduling performance facilities coordinator for the School District of Brown Deer. Mr. Chapel is active as an adjudicator for solo/ensemble festivals and honors auditions sponsored by the Wisconsin School Music Association (WSMA) and he is in his final year of a 4-year term as the choir coordinator for the WSMA Middle Level State Honors Choir. Additionally, he is the choir director and lead service accompanist at Parkside Community UCC (formerly St. Peter’s) in Saukville.
Mr. Chapel is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music and a Master’s Degree in Music Education – with an emphasis on choral conducting.
The 2023-2024 season marks his ninth season as Artistic Director with Waukesha Choral Union.
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.
