Dr. Carl Gerbrandt

Dr. Carl Gerbrandt was a prominent name in the Greeley arts community for over 40 years.  As the Director and Conductor of the Greeley Chorale, he directed the 100 voice community choir on six international concert tours and presented ten world premieres.  He initiated the Chorale’s English Madrigal Feaste in 1989 and directed the Greeley Childrens Chorale founded by Kay Copley a year later.  As the Director of Opera Theater, Voice Professor, and Graduate Student Adviser at the University of Northern Colorado, he brought much to the Greeley community.  He retired from UNC in 2005 as Professor Emeritus.

During his lifetime, he sang 70 opera and oratorio roles and directed over 40 operas.  He was an author and received numerous international awards, most notably the Visiting Fellow and Scholar research positions from Cambridge University in England.  His professional opera directing debut included a staged production of Medelssohn’s “Elijah” at Washington DC’s Kennedy Center and a performance as bass soloist in Handel’s “Messiah” with the Annapolis Naval Academy filmed by PBS-TV and broadcast nationwide.  He was also a recipient of the 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award at the National Opera Association.  In addition, he received the 2006 Arts Alive Award for his extraordinary service to the arts in the Greeley community.  Carl Gerbrandt is survived by his wife Marilyn and daughter Lynee and son Greg.