by J.R. Smith The handbell community is saddened that handbell composer, luminary, and HMA Honorary Life Member Martha Lynn Thompson has passed away. There are certain names in the handbell world that seem to have always been there—printed across the top of a score,...
The highest honor and most prestigious designation Handbell Musicians of America bestows is the Honorary Life Membership. This distinction is reserved for individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the art of handbell ringing. In HMA’s more than 70-year...
Handbell Musician Marie Loeffler Brings Handbells to the TEDx Stage by J.R. Smith What if the sound of bells could tell the story of our nation? That question became the heart of Let America Ring, a TEDx Talk presented by Marie Loeffler on February 14, 2026, at the...
Arsis 1 Arsis 2 Arsis 3 Arsis 4 Columbia 1 Columbia 2 Columbia 3 Concordia 1 Concordia 2 Concordia 3 DT 1 DT 2 DT 3 Embellish 1 Embellish 2 Embellish 3 Embellish 4 Embellish 5 Embellish 6 Emily 1 Emily 2 Emily 3 Emily 4 Emily 5 Forte 1 Forte 2 Forte 3 Forte 4 Forte 5...
In this issue, we are remembering two handbell icons: Bill Alexander, who passed away January 13, 2025, and Joan Shull, who passed away March 12, 2025. Bill Alexander by Bill Mathis In the early 1980s, Bill Alexander and I attended our first meeting as members of the...
