Gerrie Ball, is a talented professional pianist and organist. Since 1988, Gerrie has elevated the Detroit Concert Choir's artistry as our accompanist.
Gerrie has a B.M. degree in piano performance from Wayne State University, an M.M. degree in vocal accompanying from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and is certified by the Archdiocese of Detroit as a Minister of Music at the organ. Among his teachers were Ruth Burczyk, Mischa Kottler, and Santos Ojeda for piano; Ray Ferguson, Dr. Gale Kramer, and Bert Lord Jr. for organ; and Dr. Robert K. Evans, John Wustman, and Dalton Baldwin for accompanying. He has served as organist at St. Dorothy Church for 17 years and in his current position as Director of Music Ministries for the last five years. Gerrie has served on staff at Wayne State University since 1976, accompanying choruses, operas, students, and faculty. As a member of the faculty at Wayne, Gerrie has taught piano classes since 1988. Gerrie has also served as an accompanist at the Interlochen National Music Camp and is a member of the professional music fraternity, Phi Mu Alpha.
Throughout his professional career, Gerrie has accompanied numerous choruses, and soloists, in concerts and competition, regionally, and internationally. Since 1970, Gerrie has been a part of the rich tradition of the WSU Men's Glee Club as accompanist and singer, participating in their numerous European tours, competitions, and recordings, and he continues to play for the current group and alumni group, performing in the Metropolitan Detroit area. Gerrie has performed in concert with Metropolitan Opera stars, George Shirley, Emilia Cundari, and Gergio Pezzetti, and accompanied the first place soprano winner of the International Young Singer's Competition in Wales at the prestigious LLangollen Eistedfodd. Through the years, Gerrie has rehearsed with DSO conductors Sixten Ehrling, Antol Dorati, and Neeme Jarvi in preparing choruses for concerts. Among the many music groups in the Detroit area, Gerrie has accompanied and performed with Hostia, toured abroad with the Langsford Singers and the Vanguard Voices and Brass, and recorded with the Renaissance Voices.
