Clinicians

Lisa Arnold started ringing in 1976 with the Wesley Bell Ringers of Salt Lake City, UT. More recently, Lisa has run with Bay Bells in California (2004-2010) and with the Merrimack Valley Ringers in Massachusetts (since 2010). She has rung handbells in 49 states and 9 Canadian provinces, as well as Italy, France, Spain, and the UK. Lisa has taught workshops on a variety of topics at many Area 1 events. As a co-organizer of BFF WHOA/New England, Lisa often uses attendees as test subjects for new workshop ideas. She spends her free time traveling, learning Italian, and riding her bicycle(s).

Kelly Brown’s love of handbells began at age 10, when she joined the bell choir at her church, Main Street United Methodist Church in Nashua, NH. The bell choir quickly became her favorite of the multiple instruments she played. After playing throughout high school, she was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to continue playing bells with the Smith College Chapel Handbell Choir in Northampton, MA. She graduated from Smith College in May 2011 with a BA in Music and quickly joined the Granite State Ringers that fall as a long-term substitute, becoming an official member in January 2012. In addition to being a ringing member of Granite State Ringers, Kelly has been serving as treble section leader for many years and has also served as Facilities Manager and in multiple positions on the Board of Directors. In January 2015, Kelly became the conductor of the Main St. UMC bell choir, the very same choir that she learned to ring in. Kelly is also an avid singer, flautist, and pianist, an aspiring handbell arranger, and an occasional substitute conductor for her church’s vocal choir.

Cathy Marker was raised on her family’s dairy farm in West Hoosick, NY, where her grandmother encouraged her to play the piano and an Estey pump organ from a very young age. After studying piano and composition at the Sonata School in Bennington, VT and Juilliard Pre-College Division in NYC, she earned a BA in Composition at Bennington College. She has served as a church organist nearly continuously since age 14. She is a member of the Portland, Maine chapter of the AGO. She currently serves as Music Director at Madison Baptist Church in Madison, NH, where she directs a 3-octave adult bell choir. Her handbell compositions are available from AGEHR Publishing, Grassy Meadow Music, and most music retailers.

Carlene Ruesenberg has been playing handbells since 2004 and directing and teaching since 2011. For three years, she was the director of the Senior and Junior Handbell Choirs at the Lee Church Congregational, and she is currently the director of the Memorial Bell Choir at South Congregational Church in Concord, NH. As a ringer, she was a founding member of the Granite State Ringers, where she played for six years. In 2014, she joined the Merrimack Valley Ringers from Chelmsford, MA, where she currently rings. She has served as Chair of Area 1 of Handbell Musicians of America and organized its biennial Festival Conference in 2022. She has taught many clinics and classes throughout New England. She has a Bachelor of Music in Bassoon Performance from Arizona State University and a M.ED from Plymouth State University. She also has a Level 1 Certification from the Handbell Musicians of America.

Food

Snacks and beverages will be provided.