Saturday, May 3, 2014 9:00 AM – Noon
Dr. John Behnke, director of the Alleluia Ringers and renowned Handbell composer and arranger will be presenting a handbell workshop on Saturday, May 3. The workshop will take place at St. James the Greater Parish Hall in historic Dogtown.
Dr. Behnke is Professor of Music at Concordia University in Mequon, Wisconsin where he teaches organ, graduate handbell courses, directs The Alleluia Ringers, Concordia’s touring handbell choir and the Milwaukee Handbell Ensemble. He is also the Music Editor for AGEHR Music – Handbell Musicians of America.
Dr. Behnke is a frequent organ recitalist, handbell clinician, and festival director. He enjoys composing and arranging having over 250 handbell, choral, and organ compositions in print with seventeen different publishers in the United States, Germany, and Taiwan.
He was honored in December of 1993 being named “MVP” Most Valuable Player in the Milwaukee area by Milwaukee Sentinel music critic, Nancy Raabe. He has also received an ASCAP Composers Award in 1998 and 1999.
A 1974 graduate of Concordia-River Forest, IL. he received his M. Mus. in Church Music and Organ from Northwestern University, Evanston, IL. in 1978. His D. Mus. was awarded to him in 1984 by Northwestern University where he was elected into the Alpha Chapter of Pi Kappa Lambda, a National Honorary Music Society. From August 1978 to July 1979 Dr. Behnke studied at the Westphalian Church Music Institute in Herford, W. Germany, where he passed the “A” Exam in Organ with the grade of “1-Excellent”.
Workshop Schedule:
8-9 Registration / set up / light breakfast
9-9:15 Introductions
9:15 – 10:30 Refining Your Ringing! Part 1 Getting the most out of the ringing techniques.
10:30-10:45 Break
10:45-Noon Refining Your Ringing! Part 2 Rehearsal technique and building musicianship, with a final demonstration “concert” at the end.
Each choir must bring all their own equipment including handbells, music folders, foam, tables, and table coverage.
Workshop: $25
Workshop, plus Section 1 concert ticket: $40
Workshop, plus Section 2 concert ticket: $35
