composer conductor music educator choir director
On Zelter"s recommendation, Grell became in 1817 the organist at the Nikolaikirche in Berlin. He also joined the Sing-Akademie zu Berlin of which he was a lifelong member, and director from 1853 to 1876, succeeding Rungenhagen. He also became in 1853 professor of composition at the Akademie der Künste.
In 1864 he was awarded the order "Pour le Mérite".
Grell"s oeuvre includes three symphonies, three string quartets, and large amounts of vocal music He is considered one of the leaders of the Palestrina renaissance in Europe.
He was also the first to produce the Christmas Oratorio since the death of its composer, Johann Sebastian Bach.