Assistant Professor
(719) 502-3459 | gayle.grace@pikespeak.edu
Box D37, Downtown Studio | DT-N213
Gayle Grace
M.A. in Vocal Pedagogy from Regis University
She received her Bachelor of Music Education degree with vocal emphasis from Friends
University in Wichita, Kansas, in 1974, and earned her Master of Arts in Vocal Pedagogy
from Regis University, Denver, Colorado, in 2012.
Ms. Grace has performed operatic and oratorio solos with the Friends University Community Orchestra, the Grand Junction Symphony, the Grand Junction Chamber Orchestra, the Colorado Springs Chamber Orchestra, and the Colorado Springs Philharmonic Orchestra in conjunction with the Colorado Springs Chorale under the direction of Mr. Donald Jenkins.
Gayle has been the Music Director/Conductor for many presentations at the Fine Arts Center in Colorado Springs including The Pirates of Penzance, Cinderella, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Man of La Mancha, A Chorus Line, Little Shop of Horrors, Oklahoma, and Nunsense as well as performing on their stage – her last role as the Beggar Woman in the FAC’s first production of Sweeney Todd. She has also been the Musical Director for several shows at the Pikes Peak Center and has even graced their stage with lead roles and solos. Ms. Grace has performed the soprano solos in Haydn’s Creation, Dvorak’s Te Deum, Handel’s Messiah, and Schubert’s Mass in G. In 2004, Gayle was chosen by Sir David Willcocks to sing the soprano solos in Dvorak’s Te Deum at the International Church Music Festival in Coventry, England, with a 400-voice choir and orchestra.
In February 2019, Gayle Grace and the Pikes Peak State College choir called the PPSC Singers along with her Sanctuary Choir from St. Paul’s United Methodist Church were personally invited to sing in Carnegie Hall, New York City, New York. PPSC sponsored the trip for the choir students and teachers that participated. This Colorado group had the largest number of singers at 42 to perform with the 200-voice choir and orchestra. It was the “trip of a lifetime” for all.
Gayle founded her own Praise Band that traveled to churches and para-church ministries, organized, directed and sang in a six-voice women’s ensemble called “Sotto Voce”, recorded and traveled singing her religious duet album entitled “People of the Lord” with commissioned arrangements of recorded accompaniment by the London Symphony, was Minister of Music in many churches and denominations, was a weekly soloist and section leader for several church choirs, taught public school and college music, maintained a vital private lesson studio teaching voice and piano, and is a former licensed minister with the Disciples of Christ Church. Gayle also has accompanied many groups and soloists on the piano as well as being the resident pianist for a year at the Colorado Grande Casino in Cripple Creek, CO.
Ms. Grace has been the Director of Music Ministries most recently for St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, Village Christian Church, First Christian Church downtown Colorado Springs, and other churches in Colorado and Kansas.
In Gayle’s own words, “Music is life, and my life has been music. I am honored that music chose me.”
Gayle Grace is a full-time Instructor of Music at Pikes Peak State College where she is the Chair of the Music Department. The classes that she teaches at PPSC are the PPSC Singers (choir) and the PPSC Select Ensemble, Ear Training and Sight Singing, Fundamentals of Music Theory, Vocal Pedagogy, Beginning Conducting, Opera Scenes, Music Theater Scenes, Microphone Voice Class, and Applied Voice and Piano.