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.

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.
 

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.

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.
 

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.

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.

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.

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.