 For thirty-nine years Philip Brunelle has been organist and choirmaster at Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis, where he succeeded his organ teacher, Arthur B. Jennings. Jennings was preceded by Hamlin Hunt, and together these three organists have served Plymouth Church since 1900!
The sacred music program at Plymouth Church is known locally and nationally for its outstanding senior choir, its superb 1981 Holtkamp organ of 89 ranks, and its glorious service music Sunday after Sunday. Hymn singing and the improvisations with which Philip Brunelle introduces the hymns are a weekly inspiration for members and visitors alike.
In addition to his duties at Plymouth Church, Philip Brunelle is the founder and artistic director of VocalEssence––a choral organization that is internationally recognized for its innovative exploration of music for voices and instruments. Each year, VocalEssence presents an engaging series of concerts featuring the 130-voice VocalEssence Chorus and the 32-voice professional VocalEssence Ensemble Singers. The Ensemble Singers have gained a worldwide following due in part to their appearances on A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor.
Philip serves on the Board of Regents of St. Olaf College, represents the United States on the board of the International Federation for Choral Music, and is a frequent conductor at the annual Oregon Bach Festival. He served by Presidential appointment on the National Council on the Arts and served as President of the Sixth World Choral Symposium, held in the United States for the first time in Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Minnesota in August 2002. He was formerly a member of the American Guild of Organists National Council.
He has served on the choral music faculties of Westminster Choir College, the University of Minnesota, and United Theological Seminary. His choral editions are published by a number of international publishers and he writes a monthly column on choral music for The American Organist.
His international awards include the Kodály Medal from the government of Hungary, the Stig Andersson Award for contributions to Swedish music, and the Royal Order of the Polar Star from the King of Sweden. In 2005 he was invested as an Honorary Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by order of Queen Elizabeth II, and most recently was invested Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit for his promotion of Norwegian music in the United States. By order of King Harald V.
He has received honorary degrees from St. Olaf College, Gustavus Adolphus College, St. John’s University, and United Theological Seminary. He is also the recipient of the F. Melius Christiansen Award, the top award presented by the Minnesota chapter of the American Choral Directors Association.
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