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Richard J. Colla-Artistic
Director
Richard J. Colla is artistic director and conductor of the Opus Handbell
Ensemble. He is also the full-time Minister of Music and Worship at
Trinity United Presbyterian Church in Modesto where he has directed a
variety of vocal and instrumental ensembles since 1990. Richard joined
the Modesto Junior College music faculty on a part-time basis in the
Spring of 2003. He currently directs the Concert Choir, Masterworks
Chorus and Chamber Singers and teaches An Introduction to American
Popular Music. He has also taught Music Appreciation and Music
Fundamentals. Richard has also served as a member of the voice faculty
at California State University, Stanislaus and is an active adjudicator
and lecturer. He has presented lectures on a variety of topics including
vocal technique and literature, choral literature and methods, as well
as handbell techniques. He and his wife, Ginger, also conduct joint
workshops in vocal techniques.
Richard is very active as a bass-baritone soloist and
has appeared extensively in recital, oratorio and opera performances.
Most recently, Richard sang the bass solos in Mozart’s Coronation Mass
under the direction of Sir David Wilcox in Coventry, England. Richard
served a four-year term (1993-1997) as the California State Chair for
Repertoire and Standards of Music in Worship for The American Choral
Director’s Association (ACDA). He has also published articles in The
NATS Journal for the National Association of Teachers of Singing, The
Cantate California for the American Choral Director’s Association and
The Journal for the Choral Conductor’s Guild. Richard received his
Bachelor of Music degree with honors from the University of Nebraska,
Lincoln in vocal performance, and his Master of Music degree at the
University of Illinois in choral conducting.
Richard and his wife, Ginger, were honored as the
recipients of the 2007 Excellence in Arts Awards for music by the
Stanislaus Arts Council. Richard’s choir at Trinity United (Koinonia
Choir) was invited to participate in a performance of John Rutter’s
Requiem in New York’s famous Carnegie Hall in 2005. The Koinonia Choir
and Opus Handbell Ensemble toured to England where they performed
Handbell and Choir concerts in June (2008). As part of that tour, the
choirs participated in the International Church Music Festival in
Coventry, England. |
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William
Aprile—Board Music Librarian and Resident Composer
William holds a Bachelor of Music degree
from the California State University, San Francisco and a California State
Teaching Credential from the California State University, Stanislaus. He is
a retired district music specialist of 32 years with Stanislaus Union School
District. He directed the Modesto Symphony Youth Orchestra, Junior Division,
for 20 years and has performed with the Modesto Symphony Orchestra since he
was in high school, playing bass, except when he was in the Air Force as an
officer and a pilot. William has been playing handbells since 1992 and
joined the Opus Handbell Ensemble in the Spring of 1996.
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Judy Aprile
Judy’s love of music began with piano lessons when she
was five-years-old. Since then she has accompanied choral and instrumental
groups, taught early childhood music education, given private piano lessons,
directed children’s choirs at church and school, as well as being a 4th grade
teacher for the past 23 years. Judy started playing handbells eight years ago
and loves being an integral part of an ensemble of musicians. |
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Barbara Bort—Board
Historian
Originally from Buffalo, N.Y., Barbara started her
music training at the age of five. She has BME and MA degrees from Andrews
University in Michigan. After moving to California, she played cello with the
Modesto Symphony for several years, while teaching private piano and organ
lessons. For 26 years Barbara taught second or third grade in the Ceres School
District. Now that she is retired, she enjoys teaching lessons, reading, and
tutoring at the county library two days a week. She is head organist for her
church, where she also plays in the handbell ensemble. Barbara and her husband
Marvin enjoy traveling, when they can get away from their responsibilities in
Modesto.
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Beth Clause
Beth has been involved in instrumental and vocal music
for many years. Beginning at age seven, she has played piano and flute and sang
in a choir. She graduated from Augustana College in Sioux Falls, where she was a
member of the Concert Band, Orchestra, Concert Choir, Collegiate Chorale, and
Madrigal Singers, with degrees in Elementary and Special Education. Currently,
she enjoys singing with Trinity Presbyterian vocal groups. Beth has taught
elementary school for 19 years.
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David Hardy
David began his music career in elementary school learning to play the recorder.
He began performing publically at age ten by playing a few recorder duets with
his grandfather at his grandparents 50 year wedding anniversary party. David and
his family moved to Modesto from the Bay Area in the year 2000. He began
learning percussion instruments in middle school and earned the middle school
and high school band and percussion awards. David played in the county honor
band and in ‘the pit’ in the Modesto High School marching band for four years
where he contributed to first place and sweepstakes trophies. He played for four
years in the MHS concert band and in the winter percussion and concert
percussion groups for three years, even traveling to San Diego and Dayton, Ohio
for World Championships. He began playing handbells in a local youth ensemble
called Fusion and joined his church handbell group soon after. David was invited
to ring with Opus in the fall of 2009 and loves rehearsing and performing with
the group of excellent, fun and friendly musicians. David plays in the
percussion section of the Modesto Junior College symphonic band and the
student-lead MJC percussion group. He is occasionally asked to play drums for
various groups around Modesto and has performed professionally with several
ensembles, including Trade Winds Dance Band. In the summer of 2011, David played
his debut role of the King’s Musician in The King and I with Modesto Performing
Arts. David enjoys reading, listening to music, playing video games and
pampering the 13 animals who share his family’s residence, which includes dogs,
cats and a pig. |
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Janet Johnson
Janet started her music career with the requisite piano
lessons as a child and on to choir in high school under the direction of Ted
Dixon and in college under the tutelage of Gary Unruh. Janet earned a degree in
theatre, then spent a year traveling with the International musical group, “Up
With People!” She started ringing handbells at Sacred Heart Church in Turlock
and rang there for seven years. She has been ringing with Opus since Christmas
of 2006. Janet is a substitute teacher for the Turlock and surrounding school
districts and has subbed in every grade from K through 8th as well as music,
choir and band.
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Kathie
Mackie—Resident Composer
Kathie Mackie holds a B.A. in music from California
State University, Stanislaus, and a M.M. in Composition from the San Francisco
Conservatory of Music. She was among the founding ringers of the Opus Handbell
Ensemble at its inception. Kathie is also a composer, who began composing
shortly after her introduction to handbells in 1983, when her very first
composition won the 1984 AGEHR Area XII Composition Contest. Kathie went on to
win the 1986, 1990 and 2008 Area XII contests, the Greater Dallas Handbell
Association Composition Contest and later, the Livermore/Amador Symphony
Orchestral Composition Competition, where her orchestra piece “A Journey of the
Heart” was premiered. She has several handbell works, and a piece for Symphonic
Band published. She has received a number of commissions, including a piece for
Handbells and Wind Ensemble, which was premiered by the Golden Gate Handbell
ringers and conducted by handbell master, Donald Allured. She was later invited
to serve as Honorary Chair for the Golden Gate Boys Choir’s Old English
Christmas Feast held at the Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco. Kathie has
taught instrumental music in the schools, and currently, maintains a small
private teaching studio. In addition to handbells, Kathie also plays flute,
clarinet, organ and piano, and she has served as a church Director of Music for
many years. |
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Michele Meenk
Michele was born and raised in Los Angeles and moved
with her family to Modesto in 2001. She is a student at CSU Stanislaus, majoring
in Psychology and is interested in working with autistic children. Michele is
very involved in music. She was a member of the Modesto Symphony Orchestra
Chorus and has been in several musicals, including Joseph and the Amazing
Technicolor Dreamcoat, Oklahoma, Sound of Music and Les Miserables. She plays
baritone saxophone in MoBand every summer and sometimes plays for her high
school’s plays. Michele began playing handbells in elementary school, starting
in 1997. She has also played piano for a number of years and completed
Certificate of Merit level ten, earning her senior medallion. |
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Sally Price
Sally was born in Stockton, California, and raised as
an “Air Force brat.” She rang five years with Echoes of Joy at Trinity
United Presbyterian Church, and with Opus off and on for eight years. Sally
received her B.A. in Music and Psychology from Wellesley College in
Massachusetts and her M.A. in Education from Stanford. She has been a music
teacher for 35 years in Turlock at both high schools and at Turlock Junior
High. Her adult children are each musically inclined; her son creates music
with sampling and plays guitar and bass; her daughter played piano and like
her brother, has an eclectic collection on her Ipod. Her husband, Bob, tried
a variety of musical instruments while in high school and, thankfully,
decided his talents lie elsewhere! He remains an enthusiastic supporter of
his musical family. In her scarce free time, Sally enjoys spending time with
her family in traveling, playing the piano, knitting and trying out new
recipes. |
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Stephen Reddy—Board President
Stephen has been playing handbells off and on since
1986. He’s been ringing with Opus almost a year and a half. Since January, 1988,
he’s been Minister of Music at Modesto Church of the Brethren. He’s been active
in the ecumenical concerts to benefit Habitat For Humanity, Stanislaus,
directing the combined choir on three occasions. Stephen has taught at Marshall
Middle School, Edison High School, presently teaching Spanish at Ceres High
School. His wife, Jolinda, teaches fifth grade at Empire Elementary School and
son, Nathan, is in first year at Modesto Junior College. |
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Melissa Shuler
We welcome newest ringing member. Bio to come. |
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Lori Smith—Board Secretary
Handbell Musicians of America, Area XII
Regional Coordinator
Lori discovered handbells at church during her
highschool days, and has enjoyed playing them through the years whenever they
were available. Her background includes Dunaj International Dance Ensemble,
Stockton Chorale, various church choirs, piano, clarinet, and guitar. She
greatly enjoys travel, and has recently discovered the fun of working backstage
in community theater. Last summer she sharpened her skills by attending a
handbell workshop at the Zephyr Point Conference Grounds in Lake Tahoe, which
reignited her passion for handbells. Most recently, she has helped revitalize
the handbell choir at the Presbyterian church in Tracy, California. |
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Lisa Traughber **
Booking Coordinator
Originally from Cincinnati Ohio, Lisa began ringing in
1975 and was hooked for life! She came to California in 1990 and met Bobbie
Young, a retired Opus ringer, who introduced her to the handbell choir at
Centenary United Methodist Church. She attended one of Opus’ first concerts, and
met its founder, Terry Halvorson, whose talent and enthusiasm for bell ringing
was the challenge she was looking for. She is a Graphic Artist for Trinity
United Presbyterian Church, and is a member of the Modesto Symphony Chorus and
Chamber Ensemble. In her spare time she enjoys bike riding, swimming, the
classical art of dressage and antique carriage driving.
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