Philip Brunelle, born July 1, 1943 in Faribault, Minnesota, is an American choral scholar, conductor, and organist. He began a musical career as a professional church organist in his teens and later became a full-time member of the Minnesota Orchestra as a pianist and percussionist at age 19. In 1969, Brunelle was appointed choirmaster of Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis, which led to his founding of VocalEssence. He also served as music director of the Minnesota Opera for 17 years starting in 1969, introducing new works including three operas by Dominick Argento. Throughout his career, Brunelle received numerous honors, including Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit, Honorary Member of the Order of the British Empire, Hungary's Kodály Medal, Mexico's Ohtli medal, and Sweden's Royal Order of the Polar Star.
