Arnold Sherman works on his music he composed in the music hall. Photo taken at the Pollard United Methodist Church music hall in Tyler, Texas Tuesday morning, July 11, 2017. (Photo by Schuyler Wick/Tyler Morning Telegraph).
Arnold B. Sherman, a longtime member of Handbell Musicians of America and a celebrated composer and conductor, passed away on May 20, 2024. With more than 400 published works, primarily for handbells, he was one of the most prolific composers for the instrument.
Born in 1948 in Rochester, New York, to World War II U.S. Navy veterans, Arnold graduated from Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville, Maryland, in 1966. He then attended Montgomery Junior College in Maryland and later Baylor University in Waco, Texas. After his college years, Arnold served in the United States Air Force during the final years of the Vietnam War.
Arnold’s professional music career began in Rockdale, Maryland, where he served as the Director of Music and Youth at St. John’s Methodist Church from 1969 to 1976. During this time, he also directed the Regeneration Singers, a community youth choir that performed numerous concerts each year at Rockdale High School and various churches throughout the community. In 1976, he led the choir on a multi-state tour that culminated in a memorable performance in Washington, D.C.
Arnold dedicated the majority of his career to serving as the Director of Music and the Arts at Pollard United Methodist Church in Tyler, Texas, a role he held for over 30 years. During his tenure, he also founded the Pollard Theatre Center, which continues to produce a season of plays and musicals annually.
Arnold, along with fellow composer Hart Morris, co-founded Red River Music publishing company and was a recipient of the American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers (ASCAP) Standard Award for many years (now called the ASCAP Plus Award). He also founded the East Texas Handbell Ensemble and served as the Area 9 Chair for HMA. As a clinician and guest conductor, Arnold led choral and handbell workshops and festivals across the United States and internationally in Canada, England, Japan, and the Bahamas. He also served for many years as the composition instructor for the Handbell Musicians of America Master Series.
A Tribute to Arnold Sherman
by Jayne Brown
Most of us know Arnold for his composing handbell pieces that we loved and will continue to love to ring. Many of us know about his work as a teacher and clinician, although that has been several years ago.
But Arnold had another gift. Over and over in these last few months, I have heard stories about how Arnold affected someone’s life—his encouragement, his mentoring, his seeing potential in someone that they didn’t see in themselves. And then he would work with them, teach them, and enable them to do that new thing, to accomplish that new goal.
This is certainly the story of my life. I began ringing in a bell choir for Arnold in 1983. I loved it! He took us to Area festivals where I learned more. In 1990, I moved to Montana—unwillingly leaving the home, church, and bell choirs I loved. But with Arnold’s encouraging words, I started a handbell choir in my first year in that small farm town.
He encouraged me to be involved with AGEHR (now HMA). Over a few years, I had two adult choirs, a youth group and a children’s group, and sometimes a quartet—all because of Arnold. Some of those adults and grown-up kids moved and directed their own groups—off shoots of what Arnold taught us.
When I returned to Texas, Arnold once again encouraged me as I directed two groups. There is so much more, but Arnold truly changed the trajectory of my musical life. As I have told this to friends, they in turn have shared countless stories with the same theme. Because of Arnold’s invitation, encouragement, and mentoring, their lives also were changed, nourished, and enhanced. One person even told me, “My life changed the day I met Arnold Sherman. He believed in me!”
And that is his gift to so many of us. I pray this insight of seeing our potential and believing in us, as well as his music, will live on!
Born in 1948 in Rochester, New York, to World War II U.S. Navy veterans, Arnold graduated from Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville, Maryland, in 1966. He then attended Montgomery Junior College in Maryland and later Baylor University in Waco, Texas. After his college years, Arnold served in the United States Air Force during the final years of the Vietnam War.
Arnold’s professional music career began in Rockdale, Maryland, where he served as the Director of Music and Youth at St. John’s Methodist Church from 1969 to 1976. During this time, he also directed the Regeneration Singers, a community youth choir that performed numerous concerts each year at Rockdale High School and various churches throughout the community. In 1976, he led the choir on a multi-state tour that culminated in a memorable performance in Washington, D.C.
Arnold dedicated the majority of his career to serving as the Director of Music and the Arts at Pollard United Methodist Church in Tyler, Texas, a role he held for over 30 years. During his tenure, he also founded the Pollard Theatre Center, which continues to produce a season of plays and musicals annually.
Arnold, along with fellow composer Hart Morris, co-founded Red River Music publishing company and was a recipient of the American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers (ASCAP) Standard Award for many years (now called the ASCAP Plus Award). He also founded the East Texas Handbell Ensemble and served as the Area 9 Chair for HMA. As a clinician and guest conductor, Arnold led choral and handbell workshops and festivals across the United States and internationally in Canada, England, Japan, and the Bahamas. He also served for many years as the composition instructor for the Handbell Musicians of America Master Series.
A Tribute to Arnold Sherman
by Jayne Brown
Most of us know Arnold for his composing handbell pieces that we loved and will continue to love to ring. Many of us know about his work as a teacher and clinician, although that has been several years ago.
But Arnold had another gift. Over and over in these last few months, I have heard stories about how Arnold affected someone’s life—his encouragement, his mentoring, his seeing potential in someone that they didn’t see in themselves. And then he would work with them, teach them, and enable them to do that new thing, to accomplish that new goal.
This is certainly the story of my life. I began ringing in a bell choir for Arnold in 1983. I loved it! He took us to Area festivals where I learned more. In 1990, I moved to Montana—unwillingly leaving the home, church, and bell choirs I loved. But with Arnold’s encouraging words, I started a handbell choir in my first year in that small farm town.
He encouraged me to be involved with AGEHR (now HMA). Over a few years, I had two adult choirs, a youth group and a children’s group, and sometimes a quartet—all because of Arnold. Some of those adults and grown-up kids moved and directed their own groups—off shoots of what Arnold taught us.
When I returned to Texas, Arnold once again encouraged me as I directed two groups. There is so much more, but Arnold truly changed the trajectory of my musical life. As I have told this to friends, they in turn have shared countless stories with the same theme. Because of Arnold’s invitation, encouragement, and mentoring, their lives also were changed, nourished, and enhanced. One person even told me, “My life changed the day I met Arnold Sherman. He believed in me!”
And that is his gift to so many of us. I pray this insight of seeing our potential and believing in us, as well as his music, will live on!
