|
The members of MACH are:
A native of New York, Susan Udell earned a B.S. in Music Education/Piano from the Crane School of Music, SUNY, Potsdam, NY, an M.M. in Piano, and a Ph.D. in Music Education/Choral Literature from UW-Madison. For several years, she taught piano privately and through UW Extension classes, conducted children's and youth choirs, and with her husband, Jon, raised 6 children. Susan was accompanist and assistant director of the Diocesan Choir of Madison for 5 years. Recently retired after 8 years as Music Director at Asbury United Methodist Church, she concluded her service there by leading a choir tour through Europe. Seeking to provide an opportunity for skilled ringers to meet musical challenges and to share educational and enjoyable music with the community, Susan founded and became director of MACH. In 2000, Susan received the National Leadership Award from the Madison Alumnae Chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota, women's professional music fraternity. In 2003, SUNY at Potsdam honored her with their most prestigious alumni award, the Minerva Award, for outstanding professional achievement. She is a member of several professional organizations, Schubert Club, and the Symphony Singers. Her other interests include American art, tennis, gardening, fishing, and travel. Rachel Bain [1999] is the daughter of two musicians, so it is no surprise that she has music in her blood. She began playing handbells in grade school, and has been ringing ever since. When she's not behind a bell table, Rachel works part-time in the UW-Madison Chemistry department. Her list of favorite activities includes spending time with her family, doing crafty things and working in the garden. Karen Baumann [2003] recently returned to her home state after nearly 40 years in suburban Chicago where she played steel drums and handbells in the Harper College music program and more recently was a founding member of Chicago Bronze handbell ensemble. Karen also plays piano and hammered dulcimer. A graduate of UW and a retired medical laboratory technician, she currently volunteers at Sauk Prairie Memorial Hospital, in the gardens of Taliesin, and with the Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society. She and her husband are restoring 40 acres of woods and prairie in rural Spring Green with the assistance of several nature conservancy groups in which they are active. David Crowcroft [1999], a native of central Illinois, began ringing handbells in 1991 at the Wesley United Methodist Church in Urbana. He continued to ring at St. Paul's UMC in Ithaca, NY, while a physics graduate student. Following graduation, he moved back to the Midwest, where he promptly joined the handbell choir at Bethany UMC. David is a member of the server systems team at Epic Systems Corporation, a medical software company in Madison. In his spare time, his interests include piano, singing, sports (especially baseball), and current events. Doug Grovergrys [2005], MACH's newest ringer, began ringing chimes in 5th grade and handbells soon after. He continued to play in college at Gustavus Adolphus and through graduate school while living in Rochester, MN. Currently, he's ringing with the Choral Bells Choir at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. Doug works as a physical therapist at the UW Rehab & Sports Performance Clinic. In his spare time, he enjoys playing ultimate frisbee, basketball, learning the bagpipes, and working on home improvement projects with his wife, Kate. Jackie Hansen [2003] began playing bells in junior high. After a brief sabbatical during college, she has been ringing with various church groups as she and her husband moved around Wisconsin. Jackie works at American Family Insurance as a Claims Planning Manager and also enjoys camping, running with her dog and doing home improvement projects. Kristi Menninga [1997], one of the charter members of MACH, has been at home fulltime raising her three sons since August 1996. In July 2002 she began work as MACH's Executive Director. Prior to the birth of her third son, she was a computer programmer/ database specialist with the Department of Workforce Development for nearly 10 years. She's been a member of Asbury United Methodist Church since 1988 and started playing handbells when Asbury bought their bells in 1995. In her spare time Kristi enjoys doing counted cross-stitch, reading, and traveling with her family. Sally Meredith [1997] has been a (Southern) bell(e) since her early days, but did not begin ringing handbells until 1981, when her church in Illinois started a group. She now rings with First United Methodist Church in Madison. During her working hours, she is a nurse practitioner doing pre-operative evaluation for patients planning ear, nose, and throat surgery. She is the proud grandmother of a 2-year-old solo grandchild; a duet is scheduled to begin in February. She finds being a grandparent almost as much fun as rehearsal. Kathryn Meyer [2004] began playing handbells in 1995 when she was in seventh grade. She continued ringing with Concordia University's Alleluia Ringers while in college. Katie currently attends the University of Wisconsin where she is a pharmacy student. In her free time, she enjoys reading, crocheting, and is currently learning to quilt. Karen Paschke [2002] became fascinated with handbells at the age of three. The director even allowed her to ring one of the smallest bells after a performance. When she was ten she began to play in her church handbell choir under the same director. She continued to play until she went to college at the University of Illinois. She moved to Madison in 2001, and now teaches Mathematics and Madison East High School and travels during the summers. Shannon Spasova [1999] is a graduate student at UW in the department of Slavic languages and literatures and teaches Russian language and literature. When she was in third grade in 1985, Shannon first saw handbells when her dad became the minister at a new church. She convinced her dad to begin a bell choir for children, and has not been able to escape the addiction since, participating in a variety of handbell groups. When not working on her dissertation, Shannon enjoys spending time with her husband. Jane Sulzer [1997] has been ringing handbells since 1993. She is a member of the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers and enjoys participating in workshops, a handbell quartet, and concerts. Jane is also a member of the handbell choir of Bethel Lutheran Church in Madison. As well as ringing, she plays pipe organ, sings in Bethel Choir, and since 1983 has directed a youth instrumental ensemble that performs for special occasions. Jane has been employed as a secretary at Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Her other interests include table tennis, weight lifting, and mountain hiking. Alice Teter was introduced to handbells in 1987 by a friend in Lincoln, Nebraska. Her ringing experience has included massed ringing with hundreds of ringers at national and area festival/conferences, small ensembles, and the Bay View (Michigan) Week of Handbells. Soon after moving to Madison to join the staff of the Journal of Chemical Education in 1996, she joined the First Baptist Church handbell choir. Enthusiastic about a community group, she has been involved with MACH from its beginning. Besides handbells, Alice has played saxophone and piano, and enjoys reading, listening to music, and taking nature walks and drives. Patricia Thorngate [1998] has been playing handbells since 1989. Tricia is a Board Certified music therapist who earned a B.S. in Music Therapy from UW-Oshkosh. She works with adults who have developmental disabilities at FocusCorp, Inc. Tricia is also a freelance harpist and has performed with Beloit Janesville Symphony, Theatre Unlimited, with other groups throughout the state, and for weddings and other special events. When not involved in music, Tricia enjoys spending time with family, reading, walking, and swimming. |
 |
|||||||
