Joëlle Gouel

While Joëlle Gouel is probably best known for her work as editor of Les Cahiers Liturgiques, a scholarly interdenominational bi-lingual music journal, and for her work with the highly praised hymnal, Les Chants du Pelerin* (The Pilgrims Songs), she is also active as a pianist, choral director, and composer. A citizen of both France and Switzerland, she completed a B.A. in music at La Sierra University, studying under Perry Beach, and an M.A. in music at Andrews University, where she was a student of Morris and Elaine Taylor. She is presently preparing a doctoral dissertation on theopoetics and music (Théopoétique et pratique musicale) at the University of Strasbourg.

Additional study was taken under Anita Olsen at Newbold College in England, Nelly Tholen in Portland, Oregon, and John Simons at Trinity College, London. At the Geneva Music Conservatory in Switzerland, she studied piano with Françoise Grandchamp and choral conducting techniques with Michel Corboz.

A lecturer at Newbold College from 1976 to 1980, Gouel also taught at Union Springs Academy in the U.S. and was Head of the Music Department at the French Seminary from 1980-1982. Her principal place of residence has been in Switzerland since 1982 where she pursues a number of music-related activities, including writing, choral conducting, arranging and translating choral works for her vocal ensemble Cantilène.

Three recordings in the Geneva Cathedral have been produced: Chansons sacrées et profanes, Cantilène chante Noël (with harp), and Hymnes et Louanges (with organ and trumpet). Gouel received a Silver Award for a choral Christmas song she wrote for a Swiss television competition in 1983 (recorded in a live Xmas concert, produced last December 2002). She served as Assistant to the General Secretary in the world famous Geneva International Music Competition during its 50^th Anniversary in 1990.

*For more information on Cantilène recordings, Les Cahiers Liturgiques and Les Chants du Pelerin (which includes 206 hymns, 24 psalms, and seven Biblical canticles), contact Joëlle Gouel at Case postale 2539, CH-1211, Geneve, 2 Switzerland or at jgouel@orange.fr Her website address is: www.lescahiersliturgiques.com

ds/2007/2012

Sources: Information provided by Joëlle Gouel, 2007; biography in 99 New Songs, a collection of Sabbath and Advent Anthems and Hymns released in 2002 by EvelynPursley-Kopitzke; Joëlle Gouel, A Short Bio, To the Point (Facebook bio) 18 July 2011; email, 11 April 2011 and 20 November 2012.