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The Houston Bronze Ensemble,
Inc. |
Current MembersRuth Seiwell (August 1999) moved to the position of Artistic Director of Houston Bronze Ensemble in August of 2010. She holds Bachelor and Masters degrees from North Texas State University. Educated as a chemist and clinical pharmacologist, she now works by day as the Practice Manager for a pediatric medical practice. Ruth began her musical endeavors at the age of 10, began ringing handbells in 1981, and has been directing handbell ensembles of all ages and stages since 1984. She is the Handbell Camp Director for Texas Conference Choir Clinic and serves as Treasurer on the Board of Directors for AGEHR Area IX. She and her husband, Bob, have two children, Erin (a home health nurse) and Craig (a communications specialist in the Army stationed in Honolulu) and three fabulous grandchildren, Tristan (10), Kori (7), and Kayli (7).Catherine Bost (January 2008)* began ringing handbells as a 4th grader. Much of what she knows about handbells she credits to another member of HBE, Ruth Seiwell. Catherine works in Special Education in Pearland ISD and sings and rings at Friendswood United Methodist Church. She also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for Texas Conference Choir Clinic. Catherine lives in Clear Lake with her husband, Lee, stepson, Trace, and their kitties, Lil’ Girl, Diego, and Snickers. Judy Clayton (February 2002) retired from ExxonMobil after 40 years of service. She is an active participant in the music program at Houston’s First Baptist Church where she has worked with children’s choirs, rings with the bell choir, and sings with the adult choir. Judy is married to Duffy (yes, that’s his real name!) and has one son, Steven, who loves to be an HBE “roadie.” Now that she is retired, Judy plans to catch up on her reading and wants to spend time traveling. Jerry Conry (January 2004) graduated from East Texas State University with a degree in Music Education and later returned to obtain a Masters in Business Administration. Jerry lived and worked in the United Kingdom for 7 years, where he rang with the Hamilton Ringers who represented the UK in the opening ceremony of the International Handbell Symposium, performed at the Victoria and Albert Museum, and appeared on BBC television. He works as a Contract Administrator for the Department of Defense. Tom Ellerbrock (August 2008)is in his third year with HBE. When Tom is not engrossed in University of Texas (UT) sports or marching with the UT Alumni Band each fall, his full time profession is a Project Controls Engineer for Plains All American Pipeline in downtown Houston. He is also a member of the Friendswood United Methodist Church’s orchestra, Wesleyan handbell choir and Festival Ringers 4-in-hand quartet. Tom’s wife, Patricia, and two sons, Jacob and Zachary, are the support staff that keep him going. Linda Ellison (January 2011) graduated from The University of Texas in Austin with a Bachelor of Music. She retired from Alief ISD where she taught elementary and intermediate school music and private flute lessons. She continues to teach private flute in the Katy area. Linda currently rings and co-directs the Carillon Handbell Choir at St. Peter's UMC in Katy. Prior to this, she rang and directed at Mission Bend UMC in Alief and with the Waverton Handbell Team in Waverton, England. Linda and husband, Bob, have three grown children--Jennifer in Seattle, Amanda in Houston, and Brian in Dallas. She loves spending time in her garden and with her precious grandson, Boden. Monica Fowler (February 2006) stays busy running Sing & Play Fine Arts Studio in Pearland, TX, where she teaches Kindermusik, piano and strings. She is the accompanist for Faith Community Church in Pearland where she is an active leader of the praise team and the director for Bells of Praise handbell choir. Monica also serves on the Board of Directors of the Greater Houston Handbell Association. She loves to spend time hanging out with her wonderful husband, Matt, the most precious kids in the world, Evelyn and Zeke, and their adorable kitten, Maddie. Cindy Haskett (February 2006) is a retired teacher from Katy ISD, where she taught 7th and 8th grade math and algebra for 25 years. She rings handbells and sings in the choir at Houston’s First Baptist Church. Cindy and her husband, Bill, both work part-time in KISD and enjoy traveling and spending time with their daughter, Kristen. Cindy also likes to cook and is an avid scrapbooker. Deanne Leonard (August 2008) directs the handbell choir at The Woodlands United Methodist Church where she also sings in the choir and serves as substitute organist. She is a retired community college professor (teaching medical terminology, transcription, and coding) and church organist. Deanne and her husband enjoy the blessings and joys that come from providing daycare for three grandchildren. Mary McEvilly (August 2006), born and raised in the “Show Me” state, attended Missouri S&T, received a degree in engineering and MRS., and moved to the Houston area in 1981. Joining a handbell group in 1983, she has been ringing ever since. Mary lives in Spring with her husband Mike, four dogs, one cat, and many birds. After raising Melissa and Michael and seeing them happily married, she is looking forward to the arrival of her first grandchild, Timmy. Mary enjoys her church, volunteering, movies, art, travel, and tennis, (and music, of course!). She recently rejoined HBE, after missing the camaraderie and the joy of ringing with the group. Rhea Montpool (August 2010) graduated from the University of Alabama with a degree in Civil Engineering and moved to Texas to train astronauts. She has no formal training in music, but has played piano and sung in church choirs her entire life. She became a stay-at-home mom in 2004, picked up her first handbell that same year, and has enjoyed ringing them ever since. As Director of Handbell Ministries at University Baptist Church in Houston, she continues to ring in several handbell choirs as well as direct the Praise Ringers. When she’s not ringing, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Andrew, and their children, Nathan, Elena, and Avery Rhea, and watching Alabama football. Roll Tide! Lorna Noack (August 2004)) grew up on a farm in northern Illinois and still misses four distinct seasons! She graduated from Concordia College in Seward, Nebraska, with a B.S. in Elementary/Special Education. Lorna rings in the Jubilate Deo handbell choir and assists with the children’s handbell choir at Trinity Lutheran Church in Spring. She is happily married to Ken and is mom to Kristin, Kyle, and Bethany. All three children have attended Texas A&M University, making Lorna a proud Aggie mom! Michael Petrus (January 2011) began ringing bells as a sixth grader at Northwest Hills United Methodist Church in Austin, Texas. As an undergraduate at Rice University he is pursuing a degree in the social sciences and plans to attend Pharmacy school. He has a twin brother that attends the University of Houston. When he's not ringing he enjoys playing the piano, running and the natural enjoyment of being a college student. Michelle Shuman (February 2001) is a pediatrician with Texas Children’s Pediatric Associates. After a handbell break during medical school and residency, she joined HBE in 2001. Michelle is a fanatical Kansas State Wildcat fan; she also plays violin in the Doctor’s Orchestra of Houston and enjoys participating in medical mission trips to Honduras twice a year. *Indicates the date the ringer joined Houston Bronze Ensemble. |