2015 North Carolina Children’s Festival

Kerry Johnston is Director of Music Ministry at First United Methodist Church in Cary, North Carolina. At First Methodist, he oversees a music ministry of 400 participants from kindergarten through adult, with a graded handbell program of over 80 participants. He served churches in Texas and Arkansas, before moving to North Carolina. Kerry holds a Bachelor of Music in organ performance from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas, and a Master of Sacred Music jointly from Perkins School of Theology/Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Kerry has been involved with handbells since 1974, when he borrowed a 2-octave set of Petit & Fritsen bells to spur interest in the church he was serving. That started a long association with handbells and bell ringers. Kerry served previously on the AGEHR Area VI board as Arkansas State Chair, and on the HMA Area 3 board as North Carolina State Chair. He was the founding director of Ozark Bronze, an auditioned community ensemble in Northwest Arkansas. Kerry has conducted massed ringing at festivals and taught numerous classes at workshops. He is also a composer and arranger, with handbell pieces currently in print with Beckenhorst Press, Lorenz Publishing, and Choristers Guild.

Debra LeBrun received her B. Mus. from Syracuse University and her M.M. in Organ Performance from the University of Illinois at  Urbana/Champaign. In October 2010 she became the full-time Director of Music and Worship for Raleigh Court United Methodist Church in Roanoke, VA after serving for 24 years as the Minister of Music for the Congregational Church of Littleton, MA. She has been a professional musician for over 30 years, working as a church music director and organist, conductor, accompanist, director for musical theater and opera productions, teacher of piano and organ, and as a handbell clinician. Debra’s love affair with handbells began in college and handbells have played an important role in her life ever since. She is the Director of the Mill Mountain Ringers and performs regularly as a handbell soloist. Debra has served on the Handbell Musicians of America Area I Board as Secretary and Chair and the Area 3 Board as State Chair, Member-at-large, and Webmaster, as well as being involved in organizing and teaching at many handbell events throughout New England and in Virginia. She has attended seven International Handbell Symposiums and was selected to be in the All-Star Choir representing the United States at the 2012 International Symposium in Liverpool, England.

Neesa Hart began playing handbells in 4th grade at First Baptist Church in Richmond, VA. After six years of highly unsuccessful piano lessons, she persuaded her mother to let her make the switch. Thus began a life-long love of handbell musicianship and the relationships, experiences, and musical camaraderie that comes with ringing. She is the program manager for the Stafford Regional Handbell Society — a community ringing organization in the Fredericksburg, VA area. She is responsible for concert planning for the Society’s 9 ringing ensembles, inventory and maintenance of the equipment, and administration of the Society’s Bells After School program — a music instruction program for elementary – high school age students using handbell ringing to teach advanced musical concepts. Founded in 2005, the Society’s youth ringing program enjoys a national reputation for musical excellence and innovation. She is also the organizer for the National Honors Handbell Ensemble, a national youth ringing event the Society sponsors. She is the co-creator of The Great Christmas ring, a mass ringing event for handbells held world wide annually. She has also served AREA 3 in various volunteer capacities as equipment chair and workshop chair for several events. Neesa hopes to bring her commitment for innovations in youth ringing and growth for Handbell Musicians of America to the Area 3 Board. Handbell musicians need innovative solutions to sustaining and growing handbell ringing programs. Thinking beyond the walls of the church, new approaches to community ringing, and a commitment to viable and sustainable youth ringing programs is essential to the future of Handbell musicianship. She would like to serve the members of Area 3 by equipping existing handbell programs to grow and thrive, and by identifying underserved populations and establishing handbell ringing programs at the local level.

Kevin B. Chamberlain serves as Minister of Music and Organist Avenue United Methodist Church, Milford, DE. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky, and a Master of Music in Church Music with an emphasis in Organ Performance from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. Beginning December 1, 2019, Kevin will be starting a doctoral degree in Worship from the Institute for Worship Studies in Jacksonville, Florida. Kevin works part-time at POLYTECH High School in Woodside, DE where he teaches all of the choral classes and several music technology classes throughout the year. He serves as the Assistant Director/Accompanist for the Mispillion Children’s Chorus; a non-profit organization providing educational and inspirational music to children ages 6-12yrs old. Kevin serves as the co-Director of the Lay Servant Academy for the Dover District Board of Laity in the Peninsula-Delaware Conference of the United Methodist Church. He is on the faculty of the Music School of Delaware where he teaches private and group piano lessons. He also maintains a small private piano and organ studio with several high school students. Kevin is involved with various professional music organizations where he serves in various capacities. He has long been an active member of the Fellowship of United Methodists in Music and Worship Arts, the American Choral Directors’ Association, as well as the Hymn Society in the U.S. and Canada.

Musician, teacher, composer, and conductor with a degree in Music composition from Towson University, Beau Lochte currently directs three handbell programs and teaches over 20 piano students. He arranges original, popular and symphonic music for handbells including Rimsky Korsakov’s Scheherazade and Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A minor. He also performs regularly as a solo ringer and in chamber ensembles. In 2013 Mr. Lochte founded Charm City Bronze Handbell Ensemble (CCB) in Baltimore, MD. This exciting group ranges in age from youth to adult and performed alongside Arsis Youth Handbell Ensemble from Estonia in 2014. CCB has twice participated in the annual Festival of Trees to benefit the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Maryland and has also live-streamed concerts from unique venues in Baltimore such as the historic Bromo Seltzer Tower, the Pagoda in Patterson Park and the Palm House at the HP Rawlings Conservatory.

Blaine Russell, North Carolina State Chair of Area 3, has served as the Director of Music at Fletcher United Methodist Church in Fletcher, NC since 2013, where he directs the Memorial Handbell Choir and Chancel Choir.  He also serves as the Director of the Blue Ridge Ringers, an advanced community ensemble based in Hendersonville, NC.

Reggie Fox serves as the Director of Music for First Baptist Church in Williamsburg, VA where he directs the choirs and FBC Handbell Ringers. He is a talented musician, conductor, composer, choreographer, and singer. Also, he works part-time as the Educational Technology Specialist for the Virginia Department of Education providing leadership with innovative technologies and virtual learning. Mr. Fox serves on several boards and participates with non-profit organizations giving back to the community.

Sarah Sheffield's start into handbells began like so many folks out there. In 1994 her church purchased a set of handbells. Since she could read music, she was on the short list of recruits. Thankfully she jumped at the chance as she has been playing bells ever since. Sarah currently rings with Queen City Ringers (since 2002 and is currently President) and with The Raleigh Ringers (2017 was her first year!). Even though she works for an Insurance Agency to pay for her handbell addiction, Sarah received a Music Education degree from Wingate University where her principal instrument was French Horn and secondary instrument was flute. She lives near Charlotte with her husband, Milton, who is a fellow ringer. Handbell highlights include: 3 performances at Disney World directing the Weddington UMC Youth Handbell Ensemble; participation in Distinctly Bronze East since 2002 and Distinctly Bronze West since 2014-2017; performing the National Anthem for the Washington Nationals and Texas Rangers; and performing onstage with the Raleigh Ringers as part of Virtuoso 2013 and 2015.

Karen Eggert is retired from her 25+ year career as a librarian for the International Monetary Fund and now serves as the Area 3 historian/archivist helping to organize, preserve and make accessible the Area 3 historical materials for future handbell ringers. She also has a 20+ year stint ringing handbells with various choirs and currently rings with the Anacrusis Handbell Ensemble and duets with Chesapeake Bronze. These efforts have culminated in participating in numerous Distinctly Bronze events, Area 3 festival choirs and International Handbell Festivals.

Laura Blauch started playing handbells in 1978, in her hometown of Emmaus, PA. Laura continued to ring after moving to Maryland, and in 2002, she was asked to form and direct a new handbell choir, as her church had received a memorial gift to purchase a new set of handbells. Laura began attending workshops and festivals, and quickly discovered that she loves directing as much as ringing! Laura moved to NC in 2006, and currently directs the Chancel Bells and sings in various choirs at Davidson United Methodist Church in Davidson, NC. Laura has a B.A. in Sacred Music (voice) from Lebanon Valley College and a Masters of General Administration from University of Maryland University College. She is a Senior Financial Analyst with HP. Laura is married to Dave, a Professor of Chemistry at Davidson College and bass ringer in Laura’s bell choir, has 2 wonderful children, Tim and Katie, 4 cats, and in her spare time, loves to play tennis.

Bio Coming Soon

Gail Williams received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota where she studied flute and piano.  After college, Gail relocated to Washington, DC where she joined the Bethesda United Methodist Church sanctuary choir and gave flute and piano lessons. She also sang for ten years with the Choral Arts Society of Washington under the direction of Norman Scribner. The highlight of that period was the invitation to sing at the Spoleto Festival in Italy. Gail's day job is as the Director of Accounting Operations for Bernstein Management Corporation.  She continues to sing in the BUMC Sanctuary Choir, rings "as needed" with the professional handbell ensemble Capital Carillon and has been the director of BUMC's Bethesda Bells since 2007

Gregg Bogovich designs all of the floor plans for Area 3 festivals. He has been listening to handbells since 1996, and has been the unofficial roadie and videographer for his sister Lynn’s various handbell groups, including Anacrusis and the Community United Methodist Church in Crofton, MD.

Allison Keisler is the Choral and Handbell Director at Bandys High School in Catawba, North Carolina, where she has devoted all 23 years of her teaching career. A passionate advocate for handbell music education, Allison launched the school’s handbell program during her very first year by successfully petitioning to redirect funds earmarked for textbooks toward the purchase of a 3-octave set of handbells. Under her leadership, the program has grown dramatically and now includes 5 octaves of handbells and 7 octaves of handchimes—making it the largest youth handbell education program in Catawba County, both sacred and secular.
Allison's commitment to handbells extends beyond the classroom. She is a performing member of The Raleigh Ringers, an internationally renowned advanced community handbell ensemble based in Raleigh, NC. From 2020 to 2022, she served as President of the Board of Directors for The Raleigh Ringers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Under her leadership, the organization raised a total of $44,129.83 in donations. When COVID-19 changed the world, The Raleigh Ringers remained dedicated to their craft while being mindful of the challenges others were facing. Working closely with partners and venues, Allison helped guide difficult decisions to cancel all spring concerts and the summer tour, with many events postponed until 2021. During her tenure, she also spearheaded a comprehensive rewrite of The Raleigh Ringers' bylaws to include greater community member participation.
She holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Appalachian State University and is a National Board Certified Teacher. Through her teaching, performance, and advocacy, Allison has become a leading figure in youth handbell education in North Carolina.

Mark Gourley is the Organist and Choirmaster of the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany in Danville, VA. Having been a Church Musician for over 40 years, he has served churches in NC and VA. He is a graduate of Atlantic Christian College (now Barton College) in Wilson, NC where he earned a BS in Music Education and did extensive graduate study in Sacred Music at East Carolina University.  He also holds Levels I and II Orff-Schulwerk Certification.
He has directed Children, Youth and Adult Handbell Choirs throughout his Church Music Career.  Handbell Choirs under his direction have performed in the White House, the NC State Capitol and the NC Governor’s Mansion.
He has previously served on the Area 3 Board of the HMA as NC State Chair, Chair-Elect, Chair, and Past Chair.  Besides his work on Festivals, he has taught classes on the Area and National level. In the Spring of 2016, he was a Conductor of the Genesis division of the Chesapeake Festival.  He has conducted a number of local festivals in NC and VA. Mark was Coordinator of the NC United Methodist Handbell Festival for a number of years.

Kyler Brengle, Music Director at Westminster United Methodist Church (WUMC), is a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park, where he earned both a BS and MS in Music Education. His responsibilities at WUMC include directing all vocal choirs, children through adult, and the church’s 5-octave adult handbell choir. Kyler was a member of the Westminster Ringers, an auditioned community handbell ensemble, from 2006-2016, serving on their Board of Directors and as Assistant Music Director. He was the guest conductor for the Holston River Handbell Festival in Kingsport, TN in October 2017, and served as Area 3 Chair from 2015-2017.

Teri Gregory has been ringing since the Fall of 1992 when her church acquired their first set of handbells and a call went out for ringers.  She had no idea what a handbell was but she missed the opportunity to play her flute and piccolo and was looking for other musical outlets.  Handbells quickly became a passion.  In 2009, Teri attended her first Distinctly Bronze East.  The high level bronze ringing and handbell community found at the event was transformative and she has attended nearly every Distinctly Bronze East since then.  Teri has also participated in several Distinctly Bronze West events, Virtuoso 2019, International Symposium 2022, and many Area 3 and Area 1 festivals.  Teri currently rings with Capital Carillon, as well as continuing to ring with her church choir, Jubilate Bronze, as one of only 2 founding members of the choir still active in the group.  Over the years, Teri has also expanded her handbell experience to include solo, duet and quartet music and she has recently developed a passion for bell trees.  To support her handbell habit, Teri is the lead thermal systems engineer for NASA’s Exploration and In-Space Services Division at the Goddard Space Flight Center and she keeps busy with her wonderful husband and two children.

Patricia Lane - Music has been a hugely important part of her life since she started playing trombone in 1967.  While she still plays trombone in  her church orchestra today, handbells are her passion now.  Patricia first saw handbells in 1980 at a post chapel on Fort Ord in California, but with one bell per person (she thinks she got an accidental that didn’t play at all in that first rehearsal), she didn't see the appeal (pun intended) and didn't go back.  Fast forward to 2004; Pat was invited to ring when her church started a second bell choir and she was hooked!!  She was fortunate enough to start out ringing next to someone with good technique and teaching skills.  Looking for more ringing opportunities, Patricia put her name on the Area 3 substitute list.  This turned out to be an excellent strategy, as she now rings with two of the groups that called her to substitute from that list.  Contacts in those groups got Patricia involved in three additional ensembles, Distinctly Bronze, and other Handbell Musicians of America events.  Patricia currently rings with two community groups, two church choirs, a small ensemble, Area 1's bronze orphans, and at Distinctly Bronze.  That makes de-conflicting Christmas concerts a real challenge, but her normal week is filled with bell rehearsals and she’s happy.  She gets to play on White Chapel, Malmark, and Schulmerich bells in various positions, so she is always being challenged.  Ringing bells has broadened Patricia’s musical experience and knowledge in so many ways that it is hard to imagine life without them.  Patricia’s life is richer for being part of the bell-ringing world, an experience she wants to share with as many people as she can talk into joining her there!

Alan Payne started his handbell journey about 18 years ago when his kids were playing handbells at Fairfax United Methodist Church.  Church policy required a 2nd adult present for all youth-related activities and Alan became bell-dad.  Since he had played instruments before, the director often asked him to fill in when a ringer was absent and that was all he needed to get hooked.  Alan soon began ringing with the adult choir at the church and slinging the low bass bells.  After his 3rd child left for college, Alan auditioned for a community group in Northern Virginia.  He rang with them for 4 seasons and also served as Vice President and President.  In September of 2020 Alan formed Music To Free, a 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to teach handbells at low/fixed income senior living centers.  These programs are provided at no cost to the residents or the facilities.  In 2022, to help fund these programs, Alan formed Bronze Unlimited, a new community ensemble for advanced ringers.  In addition to doing public concerts, Bronze Unlimited does private events and community outreach events.  Bronze Unlimited’s May concerts, Hope & Remembrance – a concert for those affected by cancer, will help raise money for Music To Free as well as local cancer support groups.

Brian Childers is an accomplished composer whose works are performed throughout the world. He is in demand as a clinician and conductor. His easy-going style and teaching expertise quickly connects with ringers of all ages who respond with enthusiasm and energy. He currently serves as Director of Children and Youth Music at Myers Park United Methodist in Charlotte, NC where he conducts 7 handbell choirs. Brian is an avid runner and a rabid fan of the San Antonio Spurs. You can learn more about Brian and his compositions at BrianChilders.org.

Pepper Choplin is a full-time composer, conductor and humorist. With a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, he went on to earn a Master of Music degree in composition from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. His published works includes over 300 anthems for church and school choir with 20 church cantatas and two books of piano arrangements. Since 2013, he has conducted several cantatas with choir and full orchestra at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center in New York City; and at Meymandi Hall in Raleigh, NC. He also visits many schools, churches, and conferences to conduct and to entertain.

Nick Hanson received a BA degree from Concordia University, Irvine, CA, as a major in music with concentration in handbells. He is in his twelfth year as the director of handbell ensembles at the Potomac School in McLean, Virginia, teaching instrumental music to 5th – 12th grade students in four handbell ensembles. He is also in his tenth year as the handbell director at Bush Hill Presbyterian Church in Alexandria, Virginia. Nick has served as faculty, clinician, and conductor at handbell events in 13 states, Washington DC, and internationally in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan. In 2015, Nick was chosen as the first-ever Associate Conductor for Distinctly Bronze, under the mentorship of renowned conductor, Dr. William A. Payn, and, he also conducted the Distinctly Teen ensemble at the Handbell Musicians of America National Seminar in Dallas, Texas. This summer, he will be the co-conductor for the 2018 All-Star Handbell Ensemble at the National Seminar in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He has written articles for the national handbell magazine “Overtones”, and has arranged and composed over 40 pieces of handbell music.

Linda Lamb has been involved with handbells since 1992, as director, ringer, and composer. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from Carson-Newman College (now University) with a minor in music, and a Master of Church Music with handbell emphasis from Concordia University Wisconsin. She is the founder and list owner of the Frustrated Friends of Finale (FFF), a mailing list for users of the computer music program who mostly compose and arrange for handbells. She has numerous handbell publications to her credit. She is married with two grown children and two grandchildren.

Ann Cameron Pearce has directed handbells at Highland UMC in Raleigh, NC since 1987, developing one of the most accomplished church choirs (comprised of adults spanning five decades) in the Triangle. A Raleigh native, she earned her Bachelor of Arts from UNC-CH and a Master’s from Duke Divinity School. She is a founding member (1986) of the Raleigh Flute Choir, in which she specializes in contrabass flute. She is a freelance performer and served twenty years as flute instructor at Saint Mary’s School. In 2011, she and one of her sons established an online sheet music publishing company, ScoreVivo.

Al Reese has been the Musical Director of Virginia Handbell Consort since January 2008, has taught classes for ringers and directors at Handbell Musicians of America Area 2 and 3 events and has served as Massed Conductor for such events as La Plata, MD, Hampton (Genesis), Ringing at the Springs, Virginia Baptist Handbell Festival, and Area 3 Roanoke Festival. He was selected as the Associate Conductor for Distinctly Bronze East, 2015.

Al is a published composer and holds a Master of Church Music Degree with concentration in Handbells from Concordia University, Wisconsin where he studied with William Payn, John Behnke, and Arnold Sherman. He is currently an Adjunct Instructor in the Music Department of Norfolk State University teaching private Trumpet, Piano and Music Theory, and serves as the Music Director/Organist at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Suffolk, VA.

Debbie Henning has been involved with handbells for over 50 years as both a ringer and a director. Besides ringing with the Westminster Ringers & directing Accelerando – both ensembles of Westminster Ringer, Inc., she is the Director of Music at Grace UMC in Gaithersburg, MD and coHandbell Director at the Westminster Church of the Brethren in Westminster, MD. Debbie serves as Managing Director and Treasurer for the Westminster Ringers, Inc.  In the past she served Handbell Musicians of America Area 3 as their Maryland State Chair, Treasurer, and Coordinator of Events for over 10 years. In addition to her musical activities, Debbie loves to quilt, sew, cross stitch and care for her three young grandchildren.

Kath Wissinger embraces all aspects of bells–director, teacher, ringer, composer. Directing since 1988–advanced teen groups, young beginners, adults, community group, grades 4-8–she creates a wide swath of music for her diverse groups, plus commissions and pieces that simply catch her fancy. Well-known for unique originals and fresh arrangements–as well as unique series that include pedagogical pieces written over her 15 years of teaching–she also loves a good challenge in writing for solo/small ensemble, belltree, double choir; including voices and instruments; and adapting pop and movie themes. Her publishing company “ringTrue” features all these and more.