What contributions have been made by Canadians to the handbell world?
Conductors
Canadian handbell conductors have been invited to provide leadership in national and international handbell ringing events including national festivals, provincial music conferences, and music camps. A Canadian conductor has been included as a Massed Ringing conductor at the International Handbell Symposium since 1988.
1988 |
Exeter, England |
Gerald Ziegler, OGEHR |
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1990 |
Seoul, Korea |
Fred Merrett, ALGEHR |
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1992 |
Edmonton, Canada |
Carol Petrie, SGEHR Canadian Conductor
Fred Merrett, ALGEHR Alberta Conductor |
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1994 |
Adelaide, Australia |
Alison Wood, ALGEHR (replaced Carol Petrie due to illness)
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1996 |
Albuquerque, USA |
Tracey Boyle, SGEHR |
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1998 |
Tokyo, Japan |
Richard Humphrey, OGEHR |
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2000 |
Birmingham, England |
Morna-June Morrow, MBGEHR
(replaced Carol Petrie who passed away)
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2002 |
Busan, Korea |
Joan Plume, OGEHR |
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2004 |
Toronto, Canada |
2004 Toronto, Canada “Building Bridges”
Anne Hill, BCGEHR Canadian Conductor
Barbara Plante , OGEHR Ontario Conductor
J.-C. Coolen, OGEHR Conductor for the 2004 Symposium Composition Contest |
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2006 |
Brisbane, Australia |
“Unity in Diversity” John Hooper, ALGEHR |
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2008 |
Orlando FL, USA |
“Ringing in Unity” Susan Carscadden-Mifsud, OGEHR |
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2010 |
Osaka, Japan |
“Echoes for Peace” John Hooper, ALGEHR |
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2012 |
Liverpool, England |
“The World in One City” Emmy Okazawa-Bortolin, ALGEHR |
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2014 |
Jeju, Korea |
“Ring for Beautiful World “ Tammy-Jo Mortensen, ALGEHR |
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2016 |
Vancouver, Canada |
“Soundings: Music of Our Lands and Our Lives”
Stuart Sladden, MBGEHR Canadian Conductor
Janet Nordstrand, BCGEHR British Columbia Conductor
John Hooper, ALGEHR Symposium Festival Choir Conductor
Imran Amarshi, BCGEHR Sound Effects Youth Track Co-Conductor |
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2018 |
Cairns, Australia |
“Together in Harmony • The Reef and Rainforest Ring”
Camille Ream, ALGEHR
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Composers
Canadian composers of handbell music have been recognized nationally and internationally. Prolific handbell composer Fred Merrett was the recipient of awards from handbell composition contests across North America and has 140 arrangements and original handbell compositions in print. Other Canadians who have composed or arranged for handbells include Percival Price, Ruth Watson Henderson, Nancy Telfer, Pat Thompson, Robyn Tyrrell, John Hooper, Betty Radford.
A Canadian composition has been performed as a massed ringing selection at the International Handbell Symposium since 1994.
1988 |
She’s Like the Swallow (Alfred Kunz) |
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1990 |
Merry-Go-Round (Fred Merrett) |
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1992 |
Viennese Sonatina No.1 (Mozart, arr. Donald Noller)
Merry-Go-Round (Fred Merrett) |
Canadian Selection
Alberta Selection
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1994 |
A Suite of Three Canadian Folksongs (Fred Merrett)
(first time HGC competition composition was performed for massed ringing)
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1996 |
Run Away to Spring (Pat Thomson)
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1998 |
When I Get to Ireland (Pat Thomson)
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2000 |
Iroquois Lullaby (Pat Thomson)
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2002 |
Jack Was Every Inch a Sailor (Fred Merrett)
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2004 |
Skye Boat Song (Malcolm Wilson) WA - Peace (Yuri Shimazu) Borealis (David Smith) |
Canadian Selection
Ontario Selection
Winner, 2004 Symposium Composition Contest |
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2006 |
My Skating Song (Pat Thomson) |
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2008 |
Dancing Raindrops (Pat Thomson)
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2010 |
Pandemonium/Psalm 2 (Robyn Tyrrell) |
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2012 |
Toccata (John Hooper)
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2014 |
Winter Meditation (Winnagene Hatch) |
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2016 |
Glorious and Free (Betty Radford)
Hishuk Ish Tswalk (Bruce Henczel)
Gathering (John Hooper) |
HGC Composition Contest Winner
Commissioned by BCGEHR for IHS2016 Soundings
Symposium Festival Choir |
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2018 |
Creator of Light/Aurora Borealis (Erwin Stroobach) |
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2020 |
Mosaic (Betty Radford) CANCELLED DUE TO COVID-19 |
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