| ABOUT US | |
| The Milwaukee Handbell Ensemble, now in its eighth year, under the direction of Dr. John Behnke is an auditioned adult community group of 14 ringers sponsored by Concordia University Wisconsin. MHE members come from Beloit, Watertown, Oconomowoc, Waukesha, Menomonee Falls, Wauwatosa, Milwaukee, Franklin, Plymouth, Mequon, Grafton, Cedarburg, Belgium, and Sheboygan and truly represent the musical talent of the Milwaukee metropolitan area. The purpose of this group is to showcase advanced handbell repertoire and to be a musical resource for the Milwaukee metropolitan area and beyond. The fourteen ringers play 73 handbells (6 octaves) and 73 handchimes (6 1/2 octaves) in their performances. They have performed in Chicago for the National Pastoral Musicians Conference in 2004 as well as for The American Guild of English Handbell Ringers for their conference in Milwaukee in 2006. The group is heard each year by over 25,000 handbell directors and ringers on the AGEHR new handbell music promotional CDs. MHE recorded a CD entitled An American Sampler that is for sale through the group. | |
| OUR DIRECTOR | |
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John Behnke is Professor of Music at Concordia University Wisconsin, where he teaches organ and directs the Alleluia Ringers. He is also music editor for AGEHR. Dr. Behnke is a frequent organ recitalist, handbell clinician, and festival director. He enjoys composing and arranging, with works published by 17 different publishers in the USA, Germany, and Taiwan. He has been a recipient of an ASCAP Composers Award each year since 1998. |