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Karen Leonard, Director
MVR's Artistic Director is Karen E Leonard. She is a graduate of Boston University and UMass Lowell with degrees in church music, organ performance and conducting. As Minister of Music at West Chelmsford United Methodist Church, she directs a graded choral and handbell program of seven choirs and also serves as organist. A Past National President of the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers (AGEHR), Karen is very active in event planning and recently completed a three-year term as chair of Distinctly Bronze, an event for advanced ringers. She and her husband, Mark, have two sons. David is a Vice President with Morgan Stanley in Manhattan. He is married with an eight year old son, and a four year old daughter. John works full time at a music store and is on staff with the UMass Amherst Marching Band as an arranger and teacher. He also directs the UMass Amherst Hoop Band and works part time as a music copyist.
Lisa Arnold
LISA ARNOLD began ringing in 1976 and toured with the Wesley Bell Ringers (WBR) of Salt Lake City, Utah, from 1979-1983. After graduating from the University of Utah, Lisa moved to Massachusetts where she rang off and on with various church choirs before transferring to San Jose, California in 2004 to work for Cisco Systems.
Lisa spent six years in San Jose where she rang with Bay Bells, a community handbell ensemble. She is a founding member of Low Ding Zone (an all bass handbell ensemble), Bells on Tap, a small ensemble, and is a solo handbell artist, specializing in jazz standards. Lisa is the editor and photographer for The Bass Ringer's Notebook, by Larry Sue.
When Lisa is not ringing, she continues to work as an Operations Manager for Cisco, and lives in Lowell, MA. Now that she has moved back to Massachusetts, she plans to spend her free time with husband Chuck, exploring the New England countryside on their tandem bicycle.
Diane Burke
Diane Burke was inspired to take up bellringing by her mom, and has been ringing for over 15 years. She was thrilled to be invited to direct two bell groups- the Joyful Ringers in Marlboro MA, and the First Parish Lincoln Ringers in Lincoln MA. Diane also sings gospel music and has performed with several choirs in and around Boston. She is a passionate fan of NFL football (some would say crazy!) and college basketball, and currently works in the holistic health field. Diane lives in Marlboro with her incredibly supportive husband Ron, wonderful stepdaughter Amy, and new addition Perch, a 3 year old cat.
Colette Daniels
Colette Camp Daniels, began ringing in 1980 at six years old. While studying for her Bachelor's in communication studies at Taylor University, she toured nationally and internationally with the Taylor Ringers, a handbell ensemble group. After returning home in 1997 to Hamilton, MA she joined the Festive Ringers of The First Congregational Church of Hamilton, MA and Gordon College Ringers. She continues to ring with the Festive Ringers and in 2007 joined the Festive Ringers of West Chelmsford United Methodist Church. Colette has also been solo ringing since 1997 and performs with her father, Russell Camp. Colette is a special education teacher in Methuen, MA, and lives with her husband, Brian and son, Jack in Dracut, MA.
Amy Cavallaro
Amy Cavallaro is a new ringer coming from Newton, NH. She has been involved in music since she was a child, and has continued a career as a music teacher. She graduated from Gordon College with a Bachelor of Music Education and continued on to receive her Masters degree from Lesley University. She is married to a wonderfully supportive husband, Luke, and they have been blessed with an incredibly talented little girl KayLynn, who will be 4 in January. Amy hopes to bring energy and enthusiasm here to the highly talented MVR.
Holly Cerullo
HOLLY CERULLO has been ringing handbells as a member of the West Chelmsford United Methodist Church Festival Ringers since 1980. She is also assistant director of the Celebration Singers, a vocal group made up of middle school and high school youth. Having retired in June of 2004 after 35 years of teaching, she currently explores gardening, landscaping, writing, quilting, and just became a knitting diva. As worship chairperson of WCUMC she coordinates artistic elements with the themes and seasons of the church. Holly has been married to her husband Michael for 37 years and has two adult children, Joshua and Rachel, one cat, and several "grandpets".
Rachel Cerullo-Romano
RACHEL CERULLO-ROMANO joined MVR during its very first season in 2002 and is proud to still be a part of such an eclectic and enthusiastic group! A ringer since the 2nd grade, Rachel also loves performing solo and small ensemble bell music, taught classes at Area I festival/conferences from 2001-2009, and over this past summer got her groove on as Equipment Manager for SEE, a bell conference in Colorado focusing on solo/ensemble ringing. An office worker by day, her 8-4 job allows her to cram as many creative pursuits into her nights and weekends as possible. Besides her bell activities, Rachel enjoys animal photography, working on various art projects, reading Stephen King, and listening to Barenaked Ladies and Bruce Hornsby. She also loves singing and dancing, and has appeared in local community theater productions such as Oklahoma, Beauty and the Beast, The Wizard of Oz, Seussical, Sweet Charity, and A Chorus Line, and also competes annually in the NH Community Theater Festival, which focuses on dramatic or comedic one-act plays. Rachel and her husband Chris live in North Chelmsford, MA, where Rachel spends much time unobtrusively stalking the local wildlife with her camera, identifying the species, and forcing friends and family to look at the resulting 4,397 photographs.
Sue Chamberlin
Sue started playing handbells in 1981. Since then, she has rung in choirs, ensembles and as a solo ringer, has directed youth and adult handbell choirs, and has served on the Area I Board of AGEHR. In 1998, her youth choir participated in the International Handbell Sympposium in Tokyo, Japan. Currently, Sue directs two handbell choirs at Faith Community Bible Church in Loudon, NH. In June 2006, she retired from teaching math in order to work with bells full-time as the New England sales representative for Schulmerich Bells. Sue is the wife of Doug, the mother of Eric and Debra, and the grandmother of Lucy, Micah, Hannah and Natalie.
Sue Lee
Sue retired three years ago from a teaching profession. With an undergraduate degree in Music Education from Lowell State College '67, she taught all levels of music, general, choral and instrumental, before getting her Masters in Elementary Ed. and becoming a fourth grade teacher. She first rang and then directed English handbells at a previous church, and has been Director of Handbell Ministries at St. Matthew's UMC, Acton, MA, since 1998, where she directs three ensembles. Other interests are playing her trumpet or baroque recorders, quilting, playing golf, traveling, reading, or just enjoying time with friends. She has two (single) sons, one in the United States Marine Corps, and another who lives and works in Boston.
Molly Lamson
Molly made her singing debut in a kindergarten musical, and has had a passion for music ever since! Molly has been singing forever, and ringing since 1989. She even played handbells at the White House and piano at Carnegie Hall. You never know where music will take you! Molly is a member of the Merrimack Valley Chorus and Fascination quartet of Sweet Adelines. She is co-owner of I Dream of Beading in Waterville Valley, NH and a graphic designer in Londonderry, NH. Molly is thrilled to have a new addition to her family – her daughter, Erika. She lives in Londonderry with her husband, Jeremy, daughter, and sheltie, Toby.
Daryl Markey
DARYL MARKEY began ringing handbells in junior high school and has continued to play since. After learning to play a multitude of instruments including: the violin, the clarinet, percussion, and handbells, he'll tell you that handbells are, by far, his favorite. Last summer, Daryl graduated from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell with his BA in English, with a writing concentration. After graduating, he attended night school at UMASS Lowell to study in the field of Technical Writing. He was awarded a certificate of completion in February, 2009. He currently works at RSA Security as a Technical Writer and Editor, working primarily on the new enVision program.
Marianne McVoy
Marianne is the Business Manager of the First Congregational Church of Shrewsbury. After receiving a B.S. in Medical Technology from the University of Vermont, she worked in several hospital laboratories in Boston, Grand Forks, ND and Worcester, specializing in Microbiology. Marianne has been ringing handbells with the Shrewsbury Ringers since 1982 and also rings in the Brass Tactics Quartet and 4/16ths MVR Quartet. She enjoys singing with the Millennium Magic Sweet Adelines Chorus, doing counted cross-stitch, crocheting, reading and playing bridge. She and her husband Rick live in Petersham, MA. They have two sons, Chris and Jeff.
Bill Noss
Bill Noss played bass guitar in a rock 'n' roll band in Nashville, TN, in the late 70s and 80s, despite any musical training (says something about rock 'n' roll). Years later, he took piano lessons, joined the church choir and the handbell choir to learn more about music. He has played handbells since 1996. Bill is a freelance graphic designer and enjoys golf, woodworking, and playing piano.
Linda S. Noss
Linda teaches computer science and web page design at Nashua (NH) High School
South. She played flute in high school, graduating from
Walnut Hill School of Performing Arts in Natick, MA. Linda graduated from UNH and has directed and played for several groups in the NH and MA area. When she is not
ringing, she is creating websites, working with HS Students and spending her time with her family
in Nashua NH.
BJ Stratton
He has been ringing handbells since he was nine. As a graduate from Western New England College, he is currently looking for a full-time mathematics teaching position, a hunt that is sure to end soon. He is a fan of most major sports and often spent Sunday afternoons updating Diane Burke on the score of the Patriots game before he joined MVR himself. When he is doing nothing productive - which is more often than not - he spends his time playing video games or chatting on the internet with people across the planet.
Jim Stratton
Jim Stratton, one of the original members of MVR, is thrilled to be back for another season after a too-long absence. He has been playing handbells for about 15 years. He's been involved with music for most of his life, having played violin while growing up and then teaching himself guitar in (and after) college. Along with terrific son BJ (also in MVR) and wonderful wife Roberta (former MVR member), Jim rings with the West Chelmsford United Methodist Church's Festival Ringers and sings in the Senior Choir. When not rehearsing, Jim manages the internal help desk department for a rapidly-growning company that provides remote computer support for individuals as well as small and medium-sized businesses.
Kim Whitehead
Kim is excited to be ringing with MVR again this year. As a
graduate of UNH and Boston University with degrees in piano and organ performance,
she is the Organist/Accompanist and Handbell Director at the Congregational Church
in Amherst, NH. In addition, she teaches piano to "kids" of all ages,
and accompanies the Merrimack NH Community Chorus. Outside her busy music schedule,
Kim volunteers as an advisor for the Intl. Order of Rainbow for Girls, loves watching
the Patriots and Red Sox, and treasures spending as much time as possible with her
husband Derek and their amazing little girls!
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