This episode features Philip speaking with Plymouth Church's "Engaging with Aging" group about his childhood and early career, his relationship with his mother, and the importance of gratitude, providence and curiosity in establishing a remarkable career and life.By Tim Brunelle

When we proposed this podcast episode to define a theoretical "MBA of Philip Brunelle," his response was, "good luck." Turns out there's plenty to reveal. And it all starts with that most important trait/skill/characteristic: Curiosity. "It must be your north star," Philip replies. We began at the beginning: 55 years ago Philip founded an arts orga…

Here's an episode for anyone curious about how a 55+ year old choral arts organization continues to thrive through its operational leadership. This Thanksgiving weekend we're turning our gratitude to VocalEssence Executive Director Mary Ann Aufderheide to celebrate her 20+ years helping lead the organization. So much to uncover in this episode, inc…

Philip loves jokes and puns. So let's start there as a prelude to describing the 55th seasons at both VocalEssence and Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis. Turns out various choir members have given Philip books of jokes and riddles, along with many other trinkets over the decades so we discussed that tradition. Then we worked through the…

We're each a product of our times and experiences. In this episode Philip retraces some historic moments to uncover insights across 80 years of choral direction, church music and artistic leadership. We discuss his favorite church organs around the world. That moment at the New York Philharmonic in June 1968 holding the score to Gunther Schuller's …

23 - St Olaf ACDA Interview by Tim BrunelleBy Tim Brunelle

This episode is a quick recap of Philip's journey to Istanbul for the 2023 World Choral Symposium. We talk about his previous trip to Istanbul 60 years prior, and the range of insights uncovered during this year's event, and his visit to the historic Blue Mosque. We also preview the final concert of VocalEssence's 54th season featuring Moira Smiley…

"Singing is a tricky business!" notes Philip, before he flies East to attend the 2023 World Choral Symposium in Istanbul. "It's the only musical experience where you can't see your instrument." In episode 21 we sat down to talk about the business of being a choir director. "It begins with observing the product, the choir in action," says Philip. He…

The State of Choral Music Around the World, Circa 2023. To begin the 2023 season of this podcast we journey around the globe to gain an understanding of choirs, audiences, repetoire and innovation in choral music. Philip surveyed his network to gain perspective from choral leaders, including:• Simon Halsey, Chorus Director – City of Birmingham (Eng…

Philip dives into the work involved in planning not one, but two seasons: His 54th as Organist and Choir Master at Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis, and the 54th season of VocalEssence. As Philip notes, "People love challenges in choral music" and both seasons deliver. We discuss the business of being a music director in these two seas…

Episode 18 welcomes 5-time Grammy winning drummer and composer Stewart Copeland to unravel his latest composition, the oratorio Satan's Fall. In this episode, brother Chris steps in for Tim as Philip and Stewart discuss the intricacies of the source text, Milton's epic Paradise Lost. As for composing, "The most important thing in any piece of music…

Episode 17 covers the expanse of inspiration and insights leading to VocalEssence's 2021-2022 season. Philip talks about researching and programming a diverse mix of choral music—from Astor Piazzolla to Gabriel Kahane to The Aeolians to Jose Nünez to Stewart Copeland of The Police. "There's so much great choral music of the past and present," notes…

An apt title for this episode might be How a Choral Director Works Through a Pandemic (and Other Adversities). In facing the onset of the pandemic in early 2020, Philip recalls, "my reaction was—become creative. What are the opportunities to share music in a new way, in a new dimension?" That's our main focus in this episode, on the ways in which a…

And we’re back! We return to the topic of Improvisation—this time focusing on improv in the realm of Opera. (See episode 11 for Improv, Part One.) You might not consider Opera a venue for improvisation but the practice goes back to the Baroque era and the practice of ornamentation. Philip discusses this, and more, in a conversation including singer…

In this episode, Philip walks us through his methodology for preparing a Christmas music season — starting with his first at Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis in 1968. We discuss programming, rehearsing, and then focus on the topic of carols. Philip talks about the history, structure and nuances of effective Christmas carols. We end wit…

Way back in 1969 a 25-year old Philip Brunelle was hired as organist and choirmaster at Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis, while still serving as percussionist and pianist for the Minnesota Orchestra. Clearly, he wasn't busy enough. Because in that same year, Philip founded the Plymouth Music Series of Minnesota which later became Vocal…

In mid-March 2018, Philip sat down with Pulitzer Prize winning music composer, and Minneapolis resident, Dominick Argento. Their conversation ranges across a decades-long relationship, from the 1960s when Philip was student and Dominick his teacher at the University of Minnesota, to later periods when Philip commissioned Dom to write all kinds of c…

In this first of three related episodes, Philip begins a conversation on Improvisation. After checking in on recent adventures with the IFCM in Barcelona, Spain and Kaili, China, Philip dives in—discussing improv training, perspectives and experiences in the classical, church and operatic realms. He touches on French organist training, Handel’s ora…

In this tenth episode, Philip talks about preparations and excitement for the American Choral Directors Association national convention, which involves thousands of singers from all over the world, taking place in Minneapolis in early March 2017.By Tim Brunelle

Episode 09 of Renaissance Man welcomes vocal activist Melanie DeMore (http://www.melaniedemore.com) who is collaborating and performing with Philip Brunelle through the month of February as part of Vocal Essence WITNESS. In this episode, Melanie and Philip talk about the history of Protest Music in the world and especially in the US, the hallmarks …

Episode 8 is focused on the business of holiday music specifically, the logistics and work that goes on behind the scenes by a music director to make Christmas and holiday performances what they are. It was recorded in Philip’s office on December 8, 2016. During the episode, Philip talks about selecting and programming music at Plymouth Church and …

In this second of two episodes dedicated to opera, Philip talks about the business of opera and the role a Music Director plays in day-to-day financials, operations, planning and fund raising that drive an opera company. He uses his 17 years of experience with Minnesota Opera and conducting experience around the world as a tapestry for illustrating…

Welcome to Episode 6, the first part of a longer conversation about Opera. This episode dives into Philip Brunelle’s 17 year tenure as Music Director at Center Opera — which later became Minnesota Opera. It’s a fascinating journey akin to today's technology start ups, filled with lots of musical entrepreneurialism. If you’ve got questions for Phili…

In this bonus episode, Philip talks about recent travels to Ghana and South Africa and then offers perspective on the role of music in presidential elections and politics - including the origins of The Star Spangled Banner.By Tim Brunelle

Here’s a bonus episode on the role of a choir director and the business of choral conducting. Philip offers a handful of choir directing tips honed over decades of work.By Tim Brunelle

In episode 03 we continue the conversation on choral conducting and the role of a Choir Director. This part of the conversation focuses on the practicalities of being a choral director (e.g. selecting music, administration, scouting venues, recruiting talent, preparing a score, allocation of voice types, etc.); as well as the business of rehearsing…

Episode 02 is the first of several episodes focusing specifically on choral direction and the job of being a choir director. We open with a brief review of Philip’s choral directing schedule in the month of June 2016, traveling from South Korea to Sweden; followed by a discussion of how and why Philip became a choir director. Then we dive into the …

Welcome to the debut episode of "Renaissance Man - Philip Brunelle and Music," an ongoing podcast series with noted conductor, organist, musical leader, educator and entrepreneur Philip Brunelle by his son, Tim. This show connects the dots across all kinds of music - especially choral, church and opera, with the arts, non-profits, entrepreneurialis…