Mitchell Eithun is a church musician, composer and mathematician. He has over sixty published pieces of handbell music and has received commissions from community and church handbell ensembles. Mitchell is interested in developing innovative handbell rehearsal techniques and writing about the history of church music. He is the founding director of Bell Durham, a community handbell ensemble in Durham, NC.

Mitchell is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity at Duke Divinity School in Durham, NC. Mitchell holds a B.A. in Mathematics and Computer Science and a minor in Music from Ripon College (Ripon, WI) and an M.S. in Computational Mathematics, Science and Engineering from Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI). Mitchell previously served as handbell director at the First Presbyterian Church of Holt, digital ministry intern at University Lutheran Church and pastoral intern at Campus Edge Fellowship. Mitchell is an associate member of the Guild of Carillonneurs in North America and a member of Handbell Musicians of America. In his spare time, he enjoys learning the carillon and traveling to new places.

Jane Irvine holds degrees in music education from Western Viriginia University and Ohio University, as well as post graduate work at Concordia Wisconsin and Westminster Choir Collage. She retired from Warren Local Schools after 30 years of teaching K-8, which included handbells. She recently retired as a full time church organist and continues to substitute as well as accompany several students and the Parkersburg (WV) High School choirs. She rings with the Mid Ohio Valley Ringers and is an alumnus of Distinctly Bronz.

Gillian Erlenborn is the conductor of Handbell Choirs at Westminster Choir College of Rider University. She is also the Choral Director and Musical Theatre Teacher at Frelinghuysen Middle School, in Morristown, New Jersey, where she utilizes handbells and handchimes in her vocal ensemble curriculum to better engage her students in a full body and literacy-based musical education. Additionally, Gillian serves as the handbell choir director at Middlebush Reformed Church in Middlebush, New Jersey. She can be found at various state and national conferences speaking about the benefits of handbells and handchimes in the music classroom. Gillian is an alumna of Westminster Choir College, where she earned a Bachelor of Music in Music Education and a Master of Arts in Teaching. She is proud to serve on the National Board of the Handbell Musicians of America.

Cathy Moklebust is one of today’s most popular handbell composers, clinicians, and conductors, her music being represented on most concerts and festivals worldwide. Her ringing experience began in 1970, and she attended her first National Festival in 1975 as a high school student. Her first piece was published in 1987, and she now has over 500 editions in print or in process. Ms. Moklebust is also a professional percussionist, having earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees in instrumental music at South Dakota State University, Brookings. Cathy and her husband David reside in Brookings, South Dakota, where they operate a successful music preparation service. They have four grown children and eight grandchildren.

Martha Matthews holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Houghton College and a Master of Flute Performance from the University of Idaho. A 42-year veteran of handbells, Martha conducts the longest, consistently running community handbell ensemble in the country, Kalamazoo Ringers. She founded and conducted Philadelphia Bronze, an advanced auditioned ensemble with the motto “elegant energy.” Directing handbell programs at Csehy Summer School of Music, Proclamation Presbyterian Church in Bryn Mawr, PA and Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, FL, Martha worked as Director of Sales at Malmark Bellcraftsmen, Inc. and for Handbell Musicians of America. Martha travels the country giving concerts with her husband, Gary, playing flute, whistle, bells, piano, organ trumpet and voice.