MEET  THE  CLINICIANS

Summer 2017

ADULTS

DR. BETH GIBBS
Florida Southern University

Beth Gibbs is Director of Choral Studies at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, FL.  She earned her Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Miami in Coral Gables, FL, Master of Music degrees in Choral Conducting and Vocal Performance from East Carolina University in Greenville, NC, and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Stetson University in DeLand, FL. 

Dr. Gibbs spent six years teaching at the High School level in Atlanta, GA.  She has recently conducted in the Chartres Cathedral in France, St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, and at the International Festival of Choirs in Santiago de Cuba.  Active as a performer, she has been a member of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chamber Chorus, the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, and the Tennessee Chamber Chorus, and has also performed under the batons of Michael Tilson Thomas and Helmuth Rilling.

YOUTH

ANDREW MINEAR
University of Alabama

Andrew Minear is the Director of Choral Activities at the University of Alabama where he leads the university choirs, oversees the graduate choral conducting program, and teaches courses in conducting and choral literature.
 
With over one hundred appearances across eleven states, Andrew Minear is an active guest conductor, clinician, adjudicator, and presenter. His scholarly interests include choral literature and programming, community building in choral ensembles, and emotional response to music. He has twice directed the high school choir at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp and conducted the Florida Ambassadors of Music on performance tours of Europe. He has served in music ministry at Methodist churches in Bainbridge, GA and Lansing, MI and the episcopal Cathedral Church of St. Luke in Orlando. Professor Minear’s dedication to students and passion for expressive music-making have been cultivated through teaching experiences in children’s, church, community, middle school, high school, and collegiate choral settings.
 
 Mr. Minear received his Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Music Education from Florida State University where he studied with Dr. Judy Bowers, Dr. Kevin Fenton, and Dr. André Thomas.

During his doctoral studies in choral conducting at Michigan State University, Andrew Minear served as the director of the MSU Campus Choir and assistant director of the MSU Men’s Glee Club. His doctoral project is a study of Graduate Choral Literature Curricula and Pedagogy.

HANDBELLS

RICK HOLDSWORTH
"Ring Sarasota"

First introduced to handbells in 1985, Rick has been actively ringing and leading handbell choirs ever since. 
 
His first career was serving as a musician in the U.S. Navy, where he performed in, managed, and directed Navy Bands worldwide for 30 years. During his time in the Navy, Rick also volunteered as a youth choir director and was part time Director of music at several churches.  He regularly leads workshops and clinics for handbell ringers and choirs, and also is called upon to perform repairs and maintenance on handbell sets. 
 
Rick is the founding director of  Ring Sarasota Handbell Ensemble, now entering its eighth season.  Rick’s first handbell arrangement, a complete transcription of “Jupiter from The Planets” published by From the Top Music, was chosen to be played at Distinctly Bronze East 2015, the yearly massed ringing event for advanced handbell musicians who perform on the largest sets of handbells available.  Also published by From the Top Music is his “Finale to 1812 Overture.” His handbell arrangement of Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” has been published by Lorenz.  Rick has also had the honor to ring in Distinctly Bronze East.  
 
Rick is Director of Music at Pine Shores Presbyterian Church, where he leads an extensive Music Ministry which includes the Chancel Choir, two adult handbell choirs, a youth handbell choir, and an elementary ChoirChime program.  He also oversees the church’s annual concert series.  
 
Rick is an active member of the Sarasota-Manatee Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, the Handbell Musicians of America, Presbyterian Association of Musicians, and the Fellowship of Methodist Musicians.
 
Rick and wife Cher have three grown children and five grandchildren.  In his ‘spare’ time, Rick can be found working with his ‘O’gauge model train layout!