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back bay ringers
artistic director, griff gall
meet our ringers
back bay ringers
Barbara Abineri has played English Hand Bells for over 15 years in church bell choirs in CT and MA. She earned her BA at the University of Michigan and a Masters of Education from the University of Delaware. She taught elementary and nursery school in both Delaware and CT.
Since moving to Boston with her family in 1999, Barbara has rung bells with the Westwood Ringers, is a current member of the Old South Church Ringers and is proud to be a charter member of BBR.
Barbara and family enjoy escaping to the Cape where she enjoys tennis, gardening and sailing.
Darren Bennett hails from northearstern Pennsylvania where he grew up perfoming as a vocalist and percussionist before heading to Penn State where he sang in the University Choir and led the marching Blue Band as drum major fo 2 years. He learned to play handbells at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lansdale, PA, before moving to Boston to peform with the Trinity Handbell Ensemble, Trinity Church in the City of Boston.
Melissa Boyd
Sarah Cook began ringing handbells at the age of eleven at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Scranton, Pa. While earning a degree in chemistry from Boston University, she rang with the Trinity Church Handbell Ensemble, under the direction of Griff Gall. During her last semester at BU, Sarah combined her interests in music and science to perform a study on the acoustical physics of handbells. She currently works as a research technician in a clinical pharmacology laboratory and lives with her husband in Cambridge, Mass.
Carolyn Ernest originally from Illinois, is now a construction engineer for a large Boston-based general contractor. A handbell enthusiast since fifth grade, Carolyn spent her college years touring nationally as a member of the Purdue University Handbell Ensemble. In addition to ringing with BBR Carolyn is also a member of Merrimack Valley Ringers.
Krishna Ersson started ringing handbells while in school at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana. While in Terre Haute, Krishna rang with Chapel Bells at Memorial United Methodist church, the Crossroads Handbell Ensemble, a community choir, and the Crossroads Handbell Quartet. During his brief time with the talented ringers in these groups, Krishna was able to learn a multitude of advanced techniques. He performed many four-in-hand and mallet-only pieces with the quartet, as well as Kevin McChesney's Variations on Amazing Grace, an incredible handbell duet showcasing many musical styles and ringing techniques. Krishna's love of music extends to many other instruments including jazz and classical piano, and all types of percussion. He is also a member of the Metropolitan Wind Symphony (www.mws-boston.org).
Krishna currently lives in Cambridge and is an embedded software engineer at MIT Lincoln Laboratory. He graduated from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology with a BS in Computer Engineering/Computer Science and has plans to begin graduate work in the near future. Krishna loves biking, hiking, and backpacking, and is very excited to be able to continue to help bring music to the masses in the Boston area
Patrick Gagnon is very happy to be a charter member of the Back Bay Ringers. Newly obsessed with handbell ringing, Patrick directs a graded program of six vocal and handbell choirs at Trinity Lutheran Church in Chelmsford, MA, where he is Music Director. He is also a member of the Merrimack Valley Ringers in Chelmsford, MA (www.mvringers.org). Patrick is choral and drama director at Billerica Memorial High School in Billerica, MA. He is also Associate Director/Accompanist for the Charles River Chorale in Millis, MA, and has been pianist for the Snug Harbor Community Chorus in Duxbury, MA, both directed by Roy Kelley. Through this collaboration he came to be the pianist for the 2004 Massachusetts Northeast Junior District Girl’s Chorus. He has been musical director for musicals including Baby, Godspell, Anything Goes, Into the Woods, West Side Story, George M!, Grease, Damn Yankees, Guys and Dolls, Bye Bye Birdie, Pippin, and A Chorus Line. Patrick and his wife Jodi, a pianist working in Boston, live in Tewksbury, with a menagerie of animals.
Daniel Herrick grew up in Needham and graduated from Needham High, A percussionist in high school, Dan was a member of the Reparatory Orchestra of the Greater Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra (GBYSO) for 2 years and also was selected for District and All-State performing groups as a timpanist. He was schooled in the art of handbell ringing (or at least, the art of ringing the correct bell at the correct time) as a mere lad, both at churches in Needham (thanks: Holly (Hammer) Fippen, Paul Detterman) and Newton (thanks: Bob Johnson) and as a summer camper at the Charles River Creative Arts Program (CRCAP) in Dover, MA (thanks: Kristin and Rob Hammerton and the other Bob Johnson).
Holder of a BA in Chemistry from Lawrence University, a small liberal arts college located in Appleton, Wisconsin, Dan works as a chemist in industry and resides in the Boston suburbs, amazed at the 2004 season and hoping we don’t have to wait until 2090 to see something similar. He enjoys reading, travel, and cooking in addition to his involvement with the Back Bay Ringers.
Adrianne Hoffman was first introduced to handbells while in middle school at St. John the Baptist, Indiana. While attending the University of Notre Dame, she continued ringing with the choir at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. A resident of Boston the past 7 years, she most recently was a member of the handbell ensemble at Trinity Church in Copley Square and is excited to be joining the Back Bay Ringers. When not ringing, Adrianne is a practicing architect and travels as much as she can.
Kelly Isenor is new to Boston, but not to the art of handbell ringing. She spent 8 years with the North Yonkers Community Church handbell choir. At age 8, she became the youngest person ever to play in theHudson Valley Handbell Festival, held in Nyack, Rockland County. Kelly comes from a musical family, and has passed on that ability to her cat,who keeps the neighborhood entertained with his "moonlight serenades". Kelly holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mediterranean Archaeology, and
hopes to begin work soon on her Masters. She lives with her husband in
Allston.
Karen Johnson is a graduate student at Harvard Medical School. At age nine, Karen began ringing at Nassau Presbyterian Church in Princeton, NJ. While a student at Bucknell University, she rang with the Rook Chapel Ringers, under the direction of Dr. William Payn. She love horses, music and the Nets.
Charles Parker began ringing handbells at Bucknell University with the Rooke Chapel Ringers. At Bucknell, Charles rang under the direction of Dr. William Payn and Douglas Floyd Smith. Charles’ other musical interests include both jazz and classical saxophone and piano, as well as a myriad of other instruments. He has composed but not published some works for handbell ensembles as well as other instrumental ensembles and solo works.
Charles is currently a PhD student in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Boston University studying electromagnetics and photonics. He previously graduated from Bucknell University with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. Upon graduating from Boston University he hopes to work with NASA to design spacecraft, and other robotic systems that will be engaged in the exploration of space.
Norah Piehl was introduced to handbells in middle school, but took a long hiatus from ringing before joining Boston's Trinity Church Handbell Ensemble in 2001. In addition to handbells, Norah enjoys playing piano and viola. Originally from Minnesota, Norah attended St.Olaf College and the University of Illinois before relocating to the Boston area. After working in publishing for several years, Norah is
now a freelance writer, editor, and reviewer. In her spare time, Norah enjoys reading, knitting, and playing with her son, Potter.
Emilie Steinnagel
Former BBR Members
Linda Bork
Martha Bourne
Vivian Dixon
Martha Goodman
Ruth Knopf
Jean M.
Brian Wagner
Elaina Zverina
back bay carillon
Allison Arnold-Rife was introduced to handbells in Kansas City, MO, performing with her church choir throughout junior and senior high school. She took a hiatus from ringing while earning B.S. and M.S. degrees in mechanical engineering at MIT. Allison’s passion for handbells was rekindled when she joined a choir in Colorado Springs, CO while working as a scientist for the U.S. Olympic Committee. In 1993, Allison moved to Chicago to pursue a PhD in biomedical engineering at Northwestern University. Chicago didn’t feel like home until Allison discovered the Chancel Bells of First Presbyterian Church in Evanston, directed by Andrea Handley. In December 1999, the Chancel Bells embarked on a holiday mission trip to deliver a three-octave gift of handbells to a church in the West Bank and to perform a series of concerts in Bethlehem and Jerusalem. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day, the choir’s signature piece that season, remains one of Allison’s favorites. After working for several years in Palo Alto, CA, Allison recently moved back to the Boston area with her family. She also enjoys ballroom dancing and playing board games.
Jill Davis is a sophomore at Boston University studying Health Sciences and Spanish, and hopes to pursue a master's degree in Public Helath. She first began ringing handbells in high school iwth the Rockport Baptsist Church in her hometown of Rockport, MA. She is very excited to be able to continue playing bells in Bosotn with BBC. Jill also enjoys playing the clarient and piano.
Vivian Dixon
Lynda Franks, from Lake Wobegon, Minnesota, has rung and directed handbells for 10 years. Currently, she directs and rings at Clifton Lutheran Church in Marblehead, MA. She also plays the piano and organ. Her first career was as a music teacher and an elementary classroom teacher. Lynda now works as an Information Analyst in downtown Boston. She and her husband, David, have two grown children and four cats.
Julia Kleven was introduced to handbells when she was just three years old. She grew up ringing in children's choirs then eventually auditioned into Enchantment Handbell Ensemble, Albuquerque, NM. Julia is currently attending Boston University where she is majoring in biology. When Julia is not in Boston, she works for a water rights firm in New Mexico. She also enjoys reading and spending time with her cats.
Lauré Mackey has been passionate about hand bells for more than 10 years, having played in church choirs in VA, NJ, and NH. She has also involved her husband and two sons in this passion. At one point, all four Mackeys played bells in the adult church choir. Lauré has played several instruments over the years including clarinet, alto & bass clarinet, flute, French horn, violin, piano, and her favorite – her wind MIDI instrument with over 200 voices. She has taught fundamental hand bell and chime techniques to elementary and junior high students, and dabbles in solo hand bell work at home. Lauré earned her Master’s degree in Library Science from Syracuse University, and works as an online librarian for several small colleges in the USA, all via the Internet. She and her family live near Portsmouth, NH, having recently returned to the area she was raised as a child.
Donna Matson was first introduced to handbells when her own children joined a choir, and she’s been playing ever since, mostly with Katonah Celebration Ringers (First Presbyterian Church of Katonah, NY) but a few years while living overseas with a handbell group in Tokyo, JAPAN. She’s attended two international symposia and found that love of the music of handbells overrides any language barriers. Donna and husband just moved to Dover, and their two children both attend college in the Boston area.
Matthew J. Polletto began ringing with the Back Bay Ringers in 2005 and is excited to join the newly formed BBC. Originally from Silver Spring, Maryland, he began taking piano lessons at age 11. In high school, he served as accompanist for his school’s choral program, loved it, and chose to pursue music in college. Matthew graduated summa cum laude from the University of Southern Maine in May 1999 with a degree in Music Education. In search of a desirable job, he begrudgingly left Maine, relocating to Massachusetts. He is currently in his ninth year teaching elementary music, K-8, at the William H. Lincoln Elementary School in Brookline, MA. He also completed a Master of Education Degree in Curriculum and Instruction through Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. When not teaching, he eagerly heads up to Kennebunk, Maine, his “home away from home.”
Matthew Underwood was first introduced to handbells when he joined the newly formed Trinity Church Handbell Ensemble in 2001. Although a novice at handbells at the time, he brought with him a fair amount of musical and ensemble experience. Prior to his current career as a systems administrator, Matt played the trombone and earned degrees in music performance from Southern Methodist University and Indiana University. Other musical highlights include studying at The Juilliard School and performing and recording with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. In his free time, Matt enjoys pursuing his interest in black and white photography
Ashley Wilhelm discovered handbell ringing (and her bass clef confusion) at the age of nine while attending the United Church of Christ in Medfield, MA. As a student at Bucknell University, she rang under the direction of Dr. William Payn with the Rooke Chapel Ringers. With the hopes of a career in medicine, she studied Psychology, Religion, and French. Needless to say, Ashley is currently studying slightly more applicable subjects while working at Children’s Hospital on both a medical floor and a step-down intensive care floor. Her interests of the moment are backpacking, sewing, and Argentine tango.
David Wurth lives in Salem with his wife Ruthi, and dog Penelope. He has 8 ¾ grandchildren. He started ringing handbells four years ago under the direction of Lynda Franks, with the Harbor Bells at the Clifton Lutheran Church in Marblehead, and still rings there. Prior to that, he had no musical experience. When not ringing, he believes there is no place better to be than central Maine on the snowmobile trails. David works as a dispatcher at a local quarry.
board of directors
Norah Piehl, Executive Director
Griff Gall, Artistic Director
Patrick Gagnon, Associate Artistic Director
Peter Coulombe, Treasurer
Sarah Cook, Secretary
Kelly Isenor, Publicity and Marketing Advisor
advisory board
Miguel Felipe, Artistic Director, Boston Choral Ensemble
Daivd M. Hough, Director of Marketing and Development, Stoneham Theatre
Michael Jendrysik, Artistic Services Manager, Handel and Haydn Society
Dana Levit
James Nadeau
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meet our artistic director
Artistic Director, Griff Gall brings experience as a ringer, director, and educator to this new organization. While attaining a degree in Music Education from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ, Mr. Gall rang with the Westminster Concert Bell Choir, one of the nation's premiere handbell ensembles. Having toured with the choir throughout the United States, and having performed for one of the choir's popular recordings, he brings experience and high standards in the performance of advanced handbell repertoire. Mr. Gall was the founding director of the Trinity Handbell Ensemble. Under his direction the Trinity Handbell Ensemble forged a relationship with the Handel and Haydn Society, performing with them at Jordan Hall, and performing of their newest holiday recording, "All is Bright". Mr. Gall has recently been appointed Education Liaison for the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers, New England chapter. He is currently persuing his masters degree in music educaiton at Boston University and also serves as an elementary music specialist in the town of Danvers.
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