Meet Rick Wheeler of Music Manuscript Service

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rick Wheeler.

Rick, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Wow, where do I begin.

I was born and raised in Danbury CT, the son of a busness owner and nurse. At a very young age I was extremely influenced by music and found myself singing all the time while at home. I could actually do sound effects with my voice and would regularly drive my mother insane with screetching tire noises.

I attended Danbury HS and began studying early music under Michael Macelletti of Julliard, when it came time to choose a college I went to Westminster Choir College for my undergrad work. After that I found myself in NYC in the late 80’s and i was singing all kinds of sub gigs as a “ringer” (someone who substitutes for a voice part in a choir). While in NYC I did some study with Alan Held who sang baritone at Met Opera. I also worked with Dr. Walter Bahn of Catholic university who was a Mocquereau Gregroian Chant specialist.

In my studies of early music in NYC I found a tremendous draw to renaissance music and have always been involved in performing as well as editing that type of music. In the mid 1990’s I spent a couple of year persuing what I thought would be my lifelong vocation of being a Catholic priest but was quickly told that I would not be heading in that direction. After Seminary I moved to a small town outside of Spokane WA where I quickly dove into music making again. I was the founder and artistic director of the River City Chamber Singers, as well as one of the youngest members of Male Ensemble Northwest, an all male chorus similar to Chanticleer.

In 1999 I was offered a job in Denver and moved here at that time, I immediately began singing for the Ars Nova Singers of Boulder, an internationally known choral group famous for modern masterworks as well as renaissance pieces. I sang for 12 seasons with Ars Nova and during that time I formed Music Manuscript Service, a music company that offers singers (ringers), music editing services, sheet music production, and music consulting for choirs and liturgy. I was a music director at a local Catholic Church for almost 14 years, during that time I spend many hours producing what i believed to be a well rounded Roman Catholic hymnal. It is currently published by Os Justi Press.

I joined St. Martin’s Chamber Choir, in 2010, a world renound choral ensemble famous for it’s shimmering beauty in the representation of chamber music for voices. I’m currently a core member and regulary sing concerts for the as a tenor and countertenor.

In 2012 I was asked to be the associate director of the inception choir for Archbishop Samuel Aquila, this was out of dozens of other directors in the Archdiocese.
And in 2015 I was recruited to direct the Vittoria Ensemble, a choir in Denver that offerse all kinds of chamber works and held that position for 5 years.

In 2019 I found Gaudium Verum, a choir in Denver that utilizes professional singers to provide high quality early music for liturgy in the Denver area. I was it’s Artistic Director from 2019 until 2024.

I currently do contract work and have worked to raise my 9 children.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There are always road blocks. But I’ve tried to look at the positive in everything that i’ve done.

We’ve been impressed with Music Manuscript Service, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The business is what it says.
It’s a registered business with the state of Colorado and it provides singers (ringers), music editing services, sheet music production, and music consulting for choirs and liturgy.

MMS has developed one of the largest Catholic Hymnals EVER produced.
https://osjustipress.com/products/our-lady-of-mount-carmel-hymnal

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
As a kid i tended to see the fancy, the technical, the future as wondrous.
Although singing took up a lot of my time, I was also mechanical and would work with my father on the family cars as well as learning to do small projects around the house.
I was a very outgoing kid and loved to make noise.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://catholichymnal.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickwwheeler/
• Other: https://www.stmartinschamberchoir.org/rick-wheeler/