Michelle DeAngelis has built a remarkable musical career spanning sacred music, live performance, theater, recording, songwriting, vocal accompaniment, and musical direction. With a foundation rooted in classical and organ studies and a career that has taken her from churches and parish concerts to major performance spaces and professional recording studios, DeAngelis represents the depth and versatility of a true working musician.
Her musical journey began with organ study under Stephen Knoblock at Most Holy Trinity in Yonkers and Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Elmsford, New York, as well as studies with Marc Pacoe at St. Frances Xavier Cabrini. That early foundation in pipe organ and piano would become an important part of a career defined by both technical musicianship and an ability to connect with audiences through performance.
From 2004 through 2011, DeAngelis served as a vocalist and pipe organist at Most Holy Trinity, performing three services each week under the direction of Stephen Knoblock. Her responsibilities extended beyond accompanying services. She vocally led parishioners in hymns and participated in bi-yearly orchestral concerts and funerals, developing the performance skills and adaptability that would become hallmarks of her career.
In 2011, DeAngelis continued her work as a vocalist and pipe organist at St. Aedan in Pearl River, New York, where she remained through 2019. Performing three or more services per week under the direction of former Metropolitan Opera/City Opera vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Matthew Suripine, she became deeply involved in the musical life of the parish. Her work included yearly parish concerts, serving as organist for the installation of Father Ryan A. Muldoon, and accompanying both children’s and adult choirs.
Her work at St. Aedan also included weddings and funerals, as well as serving as a substitute organist and cantor. DeAngelis additionally worked as a music teacher for grades K–8, bringing her musical knowledge into the classroom and helping introduce younger generations to music.
Her experience has not been limited to Catholic church settings. At the Church of God of Prophecy in Brooklyn, New York, DeAngelis has served as a choral accompanist for a Bushwick Mass Choir anniversary performance, performed as a solo vocalist for a Praise Festival, and participated in a Pastor Appreciation event. At St. Ann’s in Yonkers, she performed as a solo vocalist for the installation of Father Carmine Rita.
These experiences demonstrate a musician comfortable moving between different musical environments, traditions, audiences, and performance demands.
But DeAngelis’ story doesn’t stop at sacred music.
From Church Musician to Recording Artist and Songwriter
In 2023, DeAngelis expanded her creative work further into recording and original music. As a recording artist, studio musician, performer, and songwriter, she began developing original material that showcases another dimension of her artistry.
She has written and performed two full EPs, released through her work in 2023 and 2024, with production by nine-time Grammy Award winner Majik Reed. She has also written and performed two singles produced by Grammy Award winner Daniel Flam, whose work includes connections to the Israel Philharmonic.
Her original song “Alone” was recorded by Joe Mennonna, a multi-instrumentalist and Grammy Award-winning musician. DeAngelis has also contributed keyboards and vocals in recording sessions with Kevin Kwiz Ryan, a producer and engineer associated with Beyoncé’s work.
Her studio credits and collaborations illustrate her ability to function not simply as a vocalist, but as a complete musician who understands the relationship between voice, piano, arrangement, accompaniment, songwriting, and production.
Her performance history includes a collaboration with Grammy Award-winning violinist Eileen Ivers, further expanding a résumé that crosses genres and performance settings.
A Performer Comfortable on Major Stages
DeAngelis has also taken her talents beyond the studio and traditional performance environments.
She served as a choral arranger and live backup performer for Andra Day at the Javits Center in New York City, and participated in the “Glimmer of Hope” Al Gore Climate Reality performance. She has also performed as an opening act for Deborah Cox during a Pride Parade.
Her notable performance experiences have brought her into musical environments connected with recognizable names and organizations, including The Prince of Morocco, Rafael Nadal, the Brooklyn Nets, and Boxing Insider.
For DeAngelis, these opportunities reflect the versatility required of a musician who can step into different settings and deliver professionally—whether the assignment calls for piano, vocals, organ, arranging, accompaniment, or live performance.
A Strong Presence in Musical Theater
Another significant chapter of DeAngelis’ career has been her work as a musical director and accompanist in musical theater.
Her theater résumé includes work with Westchester Broadway Theater, Tarrytown Music Hall, Star Kidz, Standing Ovation Studios (formerly LightHouse Youth Theater), Irvington Town Hall, and Peekskill Playhouse.
Her theater credits include productions of West Side Story, Annie Get Your Gun, The Music Man, Something Funny Happened on the Way to the Forum, Oliver!, Bye Bye Birdie, Peter Pan, The Spitfire Grill, Songs for a New World, and 13.
Working in musical theater requires a particular kind of musicianship. Unlike a traditional solo performance, the musical director or accompanist must understand the entire production—working with singers, actors, directors, ensembles, rehearsals, tempo, transitions, harmonies, and the emotional demands of a live production.
DeAngelis’ extensive theater background therefore adds another important layer to her artistic profile.
An Education Built on Musical Excellence
Behind the performances and professional credits is a formal education in music. DeAngelis is a graduate of the SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music, where she earned a Bachelor of Music.
That conservatory training, combined with years of hands-on professional experience, has allowed her to develop a career that is both academically grounded and professionally diverse.
Her story is ultimately one of evolution. She began with the disciplined study of organ and piano, established herself through years of church music and vocal performance, expanded into education and theater, and eventually developed an increasingly prominent presence as a recording artist and songwriter.
Today, Michelle DeAngelis stands as a multifaceted musician whose career cannot easily be placed into a single category. She is an organist, pianist, vocalist, songwriter, recording artist, accompanist, choral arranger, educator, and musical director.
Her journey from the pipe organ and sanctuary to the recording studio and major performance stages demonstrates that a musician’s career can continually evolve without abandoning its foundation. Each chapter—from parish services and funerals to theatrical productions, studio recordings, orchestral performances, and major live events—has contributed to the artist she is today.
Michelle DeAngelis is more than a vocalist or instrumentalist. She is a lifelong musician whose work reflects versatility, discipline, experience, and a genuine commitment to the art of music.