Behind every great musical ensemble is a passionate leader who brings both skill and heart to the podium. For the Twelfth Night Singers, that leader is Mimi Gass – a woman whose entire life has been beautifully intertwined with the joy of making music.
♪ Early Musical Roots
Mimi's musical journey began almost as soon as she could walk and talk. By age five or six, she was already singing in the children's choir at Ferndale's Drayton Avenue Presbyterian Church, discovering the magic of voices raised together in harmony.
Her musical curiosity grew throughout her childhood. She learned to play the ukulele and, with a junior high school friend, performed duets around the area while attending Ferndale public schools. At Ferndale High School, she sang in both the choir and the prestigious Madrigal Singers under the guidance of the beloved Otto Brown, a director whose influence would resonate throughout her musical life.
♫ Education and Early Career
At Albion College, Mimi continued to immerse herself in vocal music, singing in both a madrigal group and the college choir. She graduated in 1968 with a degree in theater and music, later earning a master's degree in education at Michigan State University.
In a beautiful full-circle moment, Mimi was hired by the Ferndale School District in 1968 to teach music at the very high school where she had discovered her passion for choral singing. For three decades, she would nurture young voices in the same halls where her own musical dreams had taken root.
♬ Birth of Twelfth Night Singers
In 1980, Mimi had a vision that would change the musical landscape of southeastern Michigan forever. She formed the Twelfth Night Singers and helped create the magical Wassail Feaste – three hours of food, wine, and continuous entertainment that enchanted audiences in Royal Oak and Ferndale.
The Feaste was born from Mimi's desire to keep together the exceptional student singers whose choruses and madrigal groups had won state awards. But something wonderful happened – the group quickly attracted singers of all ages and backgrounds, typically numbering 35-40 voices.
While the formal feasts ended in the mid-1990s, the choral tradition Mimi created continues to flourish in beautiful venues throughout the Detroit area.
♩ Lifelong Learning
True to the spirit of great educators, Mimi never stopped learning. She "treated" herself to summer workshops with some of the most renowned names in choral music: Robert Shaw, Norman Luboff, Kirby Shaw, Ed Lojewski, and John Rutter. Each experience enriched her understanding and brought new inspiration to her work.
After retiring from the Ferndale District in 1998, her passion for teaching continued as she spent three years directing vocal music at Shrine High School.
♪ Musical Adventures
Mimi's musical life extends far beyond Twelfth Night. She has sung with the prestigious Langsford Singers, even making what many choristers consider a "pilgrimage" to the famed Eisteddfod choral competition in Wales. She sang with the Fort Street Chorale in downtown Detroit and directed the Troy Community Chorus for many years.
Her summers are spent at her home in Glen Arbor on the beautiful Leelanau Peninsula, where she regularly attends concerts at the nearby Interlochen Center for the Arts – a place close to her heart, having been both a camper and counselor there in her younger years.
♫ Leading Twelfth Night Today
In her role with Twelfth Night Singers, Mimi is the complete musical leader. She carefully chooses each piece of music in our repertoire, conducts auditions with a warm yet discerning ear, guides our rehearsals with patience and expertise, and directs the group during our formal performances, including our beloved annual concert at Zion Lutheran Church in Ferndale.
But here's what makes Mimi truly special: at our informal appearances throughout the community, she steps down from the podium and joins the alto section, becoming one of the singers herself. In true madrigal tradition, you'll see her gently bobbing her head to provide tempo – a conductor's heart beating within a singer's soul.
ho, a song by the fire! With a skoal! With a skoal!"