Who's Who in Handbells
An informational list

(TS) TEMPO SETTERS is the title given to a series of videos made to preserve AGEHR and
handbell history in the U.S.  These videos feature interviews and narratives of past presidents,
Honorary Life members, and others who have had an impact on handbells.

"*" indicates peson is deceased.

Use the Alpha button below to take you to the person you wish to find.

Community Groups are listed in ALL CAPS.

Colleges and Universities are listed in bold face type.

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Waddell, Vivian  -   Bethany, OK  --  waddell2@swbell.net -   Vivian has been involved in directing handbells since 1975 when she began directing the handbell choir at Mayflower Congregational Church in Oklahoma City.  Since that time, she has been handbell director for several churches; three churches at one time during one year!  Vivian was one of the founding directors of the Central Oklahoma Ringers and Directors (CORD) organization, serving as its President and Festival Chairman.  Through the years, she has been involved with bells as a festival clinician, director of week-long handbell seminars, solo and ensemble ringer, church workshop director, and for ten years was director of a community choir, the Troubadour Ringers.  Vivian currently directs the Evensong Ringers at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Oklahoma City.  She aspires to give the art of handbell ringing a position of great esteem in the world of classical and sacred music.

Waggener, Lee   1631 N. Oxford Avenue Claremont CA 91711-     (714) 624-0236,   lwaggner@aol.com -  1990-92 Resource Chairman

Wagner, Douglas   7210 N Pennsylvania St Indianapolis IN 46420-3038,   317.255.9261,  Fax: 317.259.0179 dwmusik@aol.com.     Doug has been involved in handbells for over 25 years, and best known for his many important contributions to the  handbell literature, he has also worn the hats of editor, director, clinician and guest conductor.  During this time, he has published over 1,400 works (handbell, sacred and secular choral, concert band, orchestra, organ, piano and vocal) with more than eleven million copies of his works in church and school libraries world  wide. Performances of his music have been noted on television and radio in the United States, as well as on concert programs in no less than twenty foreign countries.  Currently Doug is the chairman of the Performing Arts Department of North Central High School, Indianapolis, IN, a position that he will be leaving in 2003 to devote all of his attention to composition and its allied activities.  His wife, Sandy, also a musician and seasoned handbell professional, is currently the handbell music engraver for The Lorenz Publishing Company.  AGEHR Composer

Waldrop, Tammy --23965 Arrowhead Point, New Caney, TX  77357 -- talywa@ev1.net  -- Composer/Arranger/Clinician/Editor/Church Musician and "Ringleader" describe Tammy, a graduate of Baylor University (Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Music Theory with an emphasis in composition).   Tammy has been writing and arranging for handbells and choral choirs since 1980, with over 300 publications with 16 publishers. She developed the handbell division of WORD MUSIC, where she also served as assistant choral editor, and then established her own company, RING OUT! PRESS, now a part of the Jeffers Publishing Group. She has served as musical director in numerous churches. Tammy directs handbell workshops and festivals nationwide. She now serves as handbell editor of Alfred publisher.  mailtot: talywaev1.net

Waldvogel, Jeris --  Ebenezer, not AND Ebenezer!"   Director, Ebenezer Brass Handbell Choir, Ebenezer United Church of Christ, Chilton, WI--  Jeris started the handbell program at Ebenezer U.C.C. in Chilton, Wisconsin in January, 1991.  We are a congregation of about 400 and have 3 handbell choirs.  Our ringers have toured Southwest England and Scotland and plan a ringing tour of Germany, France and Switzerland in June of 2003. Jeris has a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education and serves  as Music Director, Handbell Director and Organist.  I particularly enjoy being a part of  handbell-l and appreciate all the contributions of those who post.

WALLINGFORD HANDBELL RINGERS, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, England  -  www.wallingfordhandbells.com
 

Ward, Robert J  --  99 Sunnybrook Cr,  Highland, NY, 12528,   bobwardny@aol.com  --  Area II Chairman, AGEHR Composer

Watson, Doris   (TS)  Honorary Life  1996, .Doris Watson is a pioneer in handbell ringing in the United States.  As one of the first people to introduce handbell ringing in churches, her choirs were a definite change from the practice of the day.  Before her work, most sets were owned by individuals who had family and/or community groups.  She has lived to see the regeneration of interest in the Community Groups.  Her early choirs not only introduced handbells in the church service, but also made use of more harmonies than was the custom.  At that time, her practices were considered by some to be questionable.  Undaunted, she furthered the cause by having her bell choir appear twice on the old Gary Moore TV show in 1948; an exposure that is credited with the beginning of a nation-wide interest in handbells.  Doris is a charter member of the AGEHR, having attended the first festival gatherings of the New England Guild of English Handbell Ringers at Castle Hill.  She has published numerous articles in the early OVERTONES and also wrote one of the first books on handbell ringing.  She has remained active in the Guild for over 40 years, participating in AGEHR tours and attending most of the recent Seminars.

Watson, Elizabeth (Beth)  -  Austin, TX  - bwatson@nwhillsumc.org   --  Beth currently serves as President (2003) of the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers.  Beth is active as a clinician and conductor for local, state, regional, and national festivals, conferences and seminars and has been doing so for the past 20 years.  Beth has served as National Music Chairman for AGEHR 1989-91, Secretary/Treasurer of Area IX AGEHR, and President of the Greater Dallas Handbell Association.  President Elect AGEHR, Inc. 1999, Director of Music Ministries at Northwest Hills United Methodist Church in Austin, Texas. Conductor, Clinician

Watts,   Terry  --  Musc Director, Alta Woods Baptist Church, Jackson, MS.  --  Former Area VI AGEHR chair.

Waugh, Tim W   PO Box 1700 Bluefield WV 24701-1700,  (304)320-2715,  fax #  304-425-0328  --  musicawv@inetone.net  [no fwds] --  http://members.delphi.com/musicawv/index.html --   Tim is an active musician in many genres of music, including choral and handbells. He is head of the Fine Arts Division at PikeView High School and Artist-in-Residence (organ recitalist and composer for choir and handbells) at Beckley Presbyterian Church.   He is a popular and nationally known conductor and clinician originating the RHYTHMS TO RINGING  workshop series that includes the "cup game" He was named by the AGEHR as a Master Teacher in Rhythm. He is a published composer and author and has won competitions for both choral and handbell literature.

Weck, David  L.  --  ,  davidw@hopepublishing.com  --  David serves as an editor of Hope Publishing Company in Carol Stream Illinois, where he is solely responsible for creating and developing the company's handbell catalog . He is founder and director of THE AGAPE RINGERS , an auditioned community handbell ensemble from the Chicago area. His extensive work in handbells has included guest conducting and teaching for area,national and international events.  For over 30 years, David has been an avid church muscian.  Editor, Conductor, Clinician

Wells, Jason T -   21975 SW Baseline Road Hillsboro, OR 97123 -- (503) 649-5518, Jason@rof.org --
http://www.rof.org --  Jason played handbells growing up in Southern California and didn't find himself on the "other
side of the table" until finding a set of bells in a closet on the island of Palau in 1992.  Jason founded Ring of Fire in 1997
while teaching at Tualatin Valley Junior Academy.  He has promoted handbells in many diverse venues, including the
Presidential Inauguration, NBA Basketball games, the Crystal Cathedral, and the Portland Marathon, and on
national radio and TV.  Jason pioneered handbells on DVD with Ring of Fire's 2001 DVD release.  Jason continues to
serve as a conductor and clinician for area festivals in the US and Canada, and has taught classes on memorization and
motivation on the national level.  In addition to directing Ring of Fire at TVJA, Jason teaches English, History, Photography, Videography, Yearbook, and serves as Vice Principal.  In his spare time, he sleeps.

Wencek, Nancy  --  Whitinsville, MA,  ntilden1@charter.net  -- Nancy has been in and around handbells for 30 years.  Studied with Bob Ivey and Kathy Ebling Thorne at Westminster Choir College,  written articles about handbells.  Has won 2 major internet card tournaments using the name "handbellringer", in hopes of promoting handbells.  As a result of the card tournaments, Nancy has had people contact her asking  about the name and where can they join a handbell choirs in their area.  Made a "me page" on eBay about handbells with contacts from that as well.http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/handbellringer/  While not a director except when absolutely necessary, Nancy is helping organize a local festival in her area.

Westcott, Wendell --    Dr. Westcott is retired and living in East Lansing, MI and still plays the carillon there on weekends when weather permits a walk to the tower.  He is obviously a distinguished friend to handbells.  The blueline below is to his tribute/information page on the Michigan State University  system.  Dr. Westcott is quite
accomplished as a Carillon performer, as the founder of the Spartan Ringers, and as an author, among many other accolades.  Go to his site (http://www.msu.edu/~carillon/westcott.htm)and check out his book entitled "Bells and their Music."  It is a treasure trove of bell knowledge including some technical stuff.  Best contact would be an Email to MSU to the public relations person, who might be able to get you in touch with Dr. Westcott.  Kathleen Walsh  walshka@msu.edu.  Early HB personality, Arranger, Carilloneur.

WESTMINSTER CHOIR COLLEGE OF RIDER UNIVERSITY -- Princeton, NJ  -- www.westminsterringers.org

WESTMINSTER RINGERS  -  Westminster, MD  -  Director, Larry Henning  -  Contact, Debbie Henning  -  debhen@cct.infi.net  -

Whear, Dr. Paul   A composer for band and orchestra who has used bells as a percussion instrument in some of his compositions.d  He was commissioned by the Hershey Symphony to write "The Celtic Christmas Carol" for 3 octave bell choir and orchestra (for handbell choir, tympani, percussion, and strings.).  Although he is not a bell person like some of the rest of us, he is so interested in bells he is buying his own set, one bell at a time as he needs them for his compositions and then takes them along when he guest conducts, knowing that they won't be available on site.    Dr. Whear lists among his honors eight prizes in national composition contests, MacDowell Colony Fellowships, grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, continuing ASCAP awards and a Huntington Hartford Residence Fellowship.  FANFARE magazine listed him as one of America's top ten composers for Band.  His compositions have been performed all over the United States, in Canada, Japan and nine European Nations.  He has guest conducted in most of the states, Canada, Japan, the Netherlands and England, and is a frequent clinician with orchestras, bands and instrumental groups of all levels.

Wilcox,  Betty    -   911 - 18th Street Des Moines IO 50313-        Sec

Wildman.  RoseMarie    1602 Regent Drive Mount Kisco NY 10549-     (914) 666-6825 --   1987-1989 Secretary

Wilson, Malcolm   1A Stirling Road Dunblane Perthshire Scotland FK15-9EP,  claganach@easynet.co.uk
http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~claganach/index.html  -- http://www.dunblanecathedral.org.uk  -   Malcolm C Wilson directs the handbell programme at Dunblane Cathedral, which has Scotland's leading handbell ensemble, and of which he is also a founder member. He holds a degree and teaching qualifications in both Music and Primary Education and currently is a senior teacher in Shieldhill Primary School, Falkirk where he also directs ringing groups with pupils aged 8 to 12. He was for seven years National Membership Secretary of the Handbell Ringers of Great Britain and was conferred Honorary Life Membership of that Society in recognition of his work in promoting ringing in Scotland. He is the first Chairman of the Scottish Regional Association of the Handbell Ringers of Great Britain. He has been church organist, piano tutor and accompanist.  He is a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers; is Britain's widest published composer/ arranger for the handbell medium, published in both Britain and the USA, and has had commissions to write for groups both here and abroad. He has delivered lectures about handbells, led ringing workshops and been massed ringing conductor for many events in Britain, selected to be massed-ringing conductor at the 5th International Handbell Symposium in Canada in l992, and the 9th in Birmingham, England in 2000; guest clinician at the Handbell Exploration in Arizona in 1996, and has contributed many articles about handbell ringing to several magazines and periodicals.  He has organised the annual UK's National Handbell Seminars for Church Musicians since their inception in 1988, and the National Residential Ringing Week held every two years.  --  AGEHR Composer

Wiltse, Carl E   932 Virginia St SE Grand Rapids MI 49506 AGEHR Composer

Wiltse,   Stephanie  --  wiltse@iserv.net  --   Stephanie began ringing handbells 1982 in the Matin Ringers of Trinity United Methodist Church in Grand Rapids, MI, where she first learned to ring under the direction of Lee Afdahl, now a well-known handbell clinician and composer. Stephanie began directing handbell ensembles herself in 1992. Her first position as handbell director was with South Congregational United Church of Christ, where she served for six years. In 1998, she joined the staff of Park Congregational Church in downtown Grand Rapids as Associate Minister of Music, overseeing not only the handbell program, but assisting with other aspects of the music ministry of Park Church as well. In 1998, she became a member of the adjunct faculty staff at Aquinas College as director of the Valenti Handbell Choir. Stephanie is a founding member of Embellish, the Grand Rapids area community handbell ensemble, and has served as Music Director of the group since the Fall of 1999.  She is also a founding member of the handbell quartet, Tetrad. For the past four years, she has chaired the Grand Rapids District of the American Guild of Handbell Ringers, organizing several mass rings and directors’ sessions, and helps to serve as a resource to other handbell directors in the area.

Wissinger, Kathleen (Kath) - - Longwalk3@aol.com  -- Kath simply loves bells and bell people. She directs at Massanutten Pres. Church, Penn Laird, Va.: "Spectrum," an advanced teen ensemble of 8 ringers. Her previous long-standing teen choir "touch of Jesus" released two CD's, "Circle of Bronze" and "Ring Around the Moon" (both available through Jeffers.)  Published by AGEHR, Hope, STEP, GIA, Alfred, National Music Publishers, Above the Line, Lorenz, Sassafras and HighMeadow, Kath composes solo/duets/ensembles to full-choir sacred, secular and novelty pieces, as well as original hymns and hymn tunes (some with text partner Tammy Raetz.)  She welcomes commissions of all the above. Kath also teaches and directs at many Festivals (most recently Massed and Tins at the Area I Festival in Durham, NH - June 2005) and Seminars. She has studied directing under William Payn and David Davidson and composition under John Behnke and Arnold Sherman.  Currently Kath is Secretary for Area III AGEHR.  A former National Park Ranger, with a degree in geology, Kath also taught Environmental Ed. and still sometimes presents programs for Elder Hostels. She teaches piano and guitar in her home studio, teaches music using bells at Redeemer Classical School, and leads chiming sessions for handicapped adults and students.  See her compositions and upcoming events at her freebie web page at:       http://hometown.aol.com/longwalk3/myhomepage/business.html

Wolfe, Cindy  -  Oklahoma City, OK.    CTWolfe@aol.com   --  Cindy was handbell-deprived until 1991, when she first heard them played in a church she and her husband had joined.   She immediately said, I want to do  that! and a new bell enthusiast was born.   She began ringing in The Canticle Ringers church bell choir in the fall of 1991 and liked it so much
that she and three friends from that choir formed an ensemble as well.   In addition to becoming a member of AGEHR, Cindy joined a local organization called CORD, Central Oklahoma Ringers & Directors, which is an advocate group for handbells in Oklahoma, and in 1995 she was asked to be a member of the CORD board as Secretary/Treasurer, a position she held for three years, and to start a newsletter for the organization.   She also created a website for CORD, which can be accessed at   www.cordbells.org . In 1998, she began directing a teen handbell choir at her church, working with a wonderful group of young people.    She  also served as Publications Editor for AGEHR Area IX.    Cindy says, Handbells have enriched my life so much, and I have met so many wonderful people in the handbell world.

Wood, Dale,    --  Composer

Wood, William  --  509 E 17th Lane,  Portales,  NM,   88130,  william.wood@enmu.edu  --  William Wood serves as Area XI rep and lives in Portales, New Mexico.  He is professor emeritus of Eastern New Mexico University where he taught music education, keyboard, and handbells for 31 years, retiring in 1999.  Bill has been involved in handbells since 1980 at First United Methodist Church where he also serves as church organist.  Guild service includes two terms as Area XI secretary-treasurer.  His choirs have performed at state, Area XI, and national conferences, and he chairs a local handbell festival which he organized in 1994.  He has presented workshop sessions at Area XI and Directors Seminar and has a number of published handbell arrangements including "The All-American Hometown Band," "Gladiolus," and "De Colores." Wood holds music degrees from Westmar College, Kansas State University, and the University of Oklahoma.  Prior to moving to New Mexico he was an elementary music teacher in the Jefferson County (Colorado) Public Schools with assignments in Lakewood and Arvada.   -- AGEHR Composer

Wortman,  Allen L.     3 Mapleridge Court North,  Mankato MN 56001-     (507) 345-2751 --  1988-90 Resource Chairman