Handbell Musicians of America

[JRSmith]

The world of handbells lost a true icon today with the passing of Donald E. Allured. Don died peacefully the afternoon of February 28, 2011, near his home in Pensacola, Florida, with his wife, Melissa, by his side. He was 88.

Don Allured is credited, and rightly so, as the man who brought true musicianship to the instrument. He authored "Mastering Musicianship in Handbells," which has often been referred to as the "encyclopedia of handbells."

His annual Week of Handbells event in Bay View, Michigan, continues to draw handbell musicians from around the world who seek to perform the finest music at the most demanding level of musicianship. Past AGEHR president Debbie Rice recalls his saying during one of his last times at the Bay View podium, "Perfection is only the beginning."

There is not a serious handbell musician anywhere who has not learned something directly or indirectly from The Maestro.

We invite you to join us in remembering and honoring this most remarkable conductor, composer, teacher and friend, by posting your remembrances and tributes in this forum.

Please also be sure to see our own tribute to Don HERE.

[JPhillips]

I first met Don back in 1977 when he did a workshop with our little 3 octave adult bell choir at First Baptist Church of Royal Oak, MI. Our director had met Don at Bay View and invited him to come and work with us. I remember a lot of laughter and fun, but also learning a great deal about handbells in our short time together. We learned many of Don's pieces in those days, and stretched far beyond our playing level just to play his music. Over the years I played under Don at several festivals, and took classes from him at Seminar. I attended the Week of Handbells at Bay View because Don personally invited me. He contributed so very much to the advancement of handbells, and I count myself as extremely fortunate to have worked with him in person. The angels in heaven are definitely playing handbells with the Maestro today!!!

Judy Phillips, Waterford, MI

[Jane Irvine]

I have two memories of the Maestro with the first having the privilege of playing "Sharon's Song" at DB East under David Davidson, and David working every beautiful nuance of that glorious work. The other was at a National Festival in Dallas (1997?), having breakfast, and hearing a gentle "may I join you?" He was a wonderful person, teacher, composer, and will be missed.

[jbehnke]

I had the highest respect for Don Allured. I took two workshops with him in the early years and always admired his push for musicianship. Later on I had the privilege to work with him as AGEHR's Music Editor on this last piece, Epilogue. We didn't use email, we used the phone and had marvelous hourlong conversations that covered a wide range of topics including not only his piece, but the job of being the AGEHR Music Editor, which he was as well.
I'm sure the heavenly handbell choirs will play with better damping and more musicianship now that Maestro Dr. Don Allured has arrived. God's peace!

[alittleperil]

I was fortunate enough to be a member of BellFest, the community handbell choir in Pensacola, FL that Don created and worked with for several years. Unfortunately, I only rang with them for a short time before he stepped down as director, but he frequently came back to check on us, and to direct as a guest. I remember always being so awed by his mild, sweet demeanor as an individual, and how that demeanor went right out the window when he stepped to the podium with a baton in his hand- He became "The Maestro"! The first few times, I was SO intimidated! But I and my fellow ringers quickly came to realize that he knew what we did not. What we thought was our very best was unacceptable to Don. To begin with that frustrated us to no end! However, as we continued to play under his baton, we saw that he was pulling more talent and polish and effort out of us than we knew we had. He had seen the ability, even when we did not. He never accepted "good", or even "great". He expected the music we created to flow off the page, become almost a living thing all it's own, and to allow it to move through the performance hall with such seamless beauty that the audience would be forever changed by what we had done. And that is exactly what happened. I will miss dearly the mild-mannered man who's passion for handbells has touched so many lives. I can also say that his memory, and his music with live on in Pensacola, FL and around the world. God has gained an amazing angel.

[Sue Nelson]

This is an end of an era for the handbell world. Donald Allured touched countless people and influenced generations of ringers with his groundbreaking work and musical genius. I met Don while attending his Master Class in Ithaca '97 and San Diego '99. I was a bit intimidated at Ithaca, but his kind, yet firm rehearsal style set me at ease. I learned a great deal in those classes, most of which has remained with me through all these years. Perhaps the most valuable thing he imparted was the music came first; that performing a piece musically and how the composer intended was the most important thing. He seemed to be a very humble man... there was never a hint of ego or self importance... his focus was first and foremost on the music. Always. It's an example from which all can learn! I feel honored and very fortunate to have had the opportunity to study with him.

I was privileged to attend the commencement ceremony at Westminster when he was awarded his honorary doctorate degree. What an exciting "first" for handbells! All too often we fail to formally acknowledge people while we have the chance, and this was a well-deserved honor.

His incredible musical gifts aside, another thing that impressed me was his uncanny ability to recall names/faces! (Something I do not excel in, LOL!) I was not a Bay Viewer, so our paths did not cross that often, yet every time I saw him at an event, he remembered me and other colleagues that were with me at the time. Pretty amazing, considering how many ringers he must have met over the years!

Remarkable man... remarkable career... remarkable legacy.

Sue Nelson

[Joan Fossum]

One of my best memories of Don was taking a graduate course in Handbells at Harrt School of Music in 1991. I have never worked so hard and had so much fun. I am still using the skills that were drilled into the students that week. The Bay View Weeks of Handbells were just the frosting on the cake. He helped us all become not only better ringers but super advocates of what Handbells could be to the music world.

[musicalmom]

Back in 1982 I had my first exposure to handbells with Professor Allured at Westminster Choir College. I was hooked. I learned from the best and he was so technical. I will never forget all of the drills we worked on. I have had the pleasure of passing on his gift to many students from 4th grade to high school and even a few adults I suppose.

He was kind enough to come to my schools and run clinics with my kids. I remember telling them, "You have no idea how lucky you are to be working with The Donald Allured." He always had kind words to say yet always could find something to fix : ). Over the years I would get compliments about my ringing technique and it was because Don had taught us (his students) to make it flow and be beautiful to watch.

He will forever be in my heart.

[Kevin AnneCurry Whitehead]

My first memory of The Maestro was as a young, pre-teen girl playing in the handbell choir of 76th Street Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, AL. Having fallen in love with and marrying a member of our adult choir, Don was a much-loved fixture in the life of our church. Even at that young age, I knew what a privilege it was to be taught by this man whose influence I still feel as a musician. He was well loved and will be missed tremendously.

Rest in Peace, Maestro.

[Linda Mellon]

Twenty-six years ago, when I began directing a bell choir, I knew very little about it. I took a workshop for directors offered in Minneapolis by Don. I came in feeling very ill-equipped and unconfident. My mother came along for moral support and out of interest as a ringer. We played several of Don's pieces during the two day workshop and he watched us intently, both as we played and directed. At one point, he looked at my mom and said, "That daughter of yours has GOT it!" Then he turned to me and warmly said, "You've got it, kid!" What a boost that was to my confidence! He was not only an icon in the world of handbells, but the warmest and nicest person I could have hoped to find. Blessed be the memory of Don Allured among us.

[priest697]

During the years we were in El Dorado, Arkansas, we were almost neighbors of Don's in Lake Charles. My top choir was always challenged by Don's, always ready to grow some more to help keep up with his. It was a terrific rivalry for teens, for they couldn't have had a more authentic challenge. They took the bait and then some! Later, when we were planning the dedication of a new Casavant in Lincoln, Nebraska, showcasing the instrument in a variety of uses, it was quite natural to turn to Don for a new work for organ and handbells. His Concertante was the result, a piece which always thrilled audiences and challenged choirs.

Don was always a gracious and affirming colleague, always with us all, I believe, though in reality he towered above us. His rest now is well deserved. May it be in peace.

[Guest]

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My sister, Janet, and I met Don and his family when they moved to Lake Charles in the mid sixties. We started out as members of Don’s Carillon Ringers—the choir leading up to the premier touring choir, the Wesleyan Bell Choir. We spent four years in Carillon before our opportunity came to move up to the Wesleyan. The two years I spent in the Wesleyan Bell Choir practicing, touring, and practicing, were some of the finest memories in my life. Our group went to Alaska and Hawaii in the early seventies—both wonderful opportunities! I was sitting at Don’s side in the Winnebago the first time I saw the Rocky Mountains. I met life-long friends through bell ringing and all three of my children have been bell ringers, all thanks to Don Allured. It is forty-something years later and I am still ringing with Don’s director son, Bruce, in the Bayou Bell Choir in Lake Charles. Bruce is most beautifully carrying on his father’s love of bells and musicianship.
Don was a demanding director, especially to a motley crew of teenagers with varying degrees of talent. We practiced two hours a week and much more closer to the tour date. The only excuse for missing a rehearsal was “your own personal death”. And yet—we came and begged to be better. He asked for mere perfection and we tried our hardest to give it to him. When we weren’t “cutting it”, we got the furrowed brow. But, oh, when we got it right—we got that glorious smile. It was such a confidence builder for a teenager to be part of one of the finest bell choirs in the nation at that time. I always loved music, but Don (or Mr. A as we called him) made me both treasure and understand great music and most important of all—to love the bells. I will always love him for that!

[Guest]

I have been directing a handbell choir for over twenty years and learned so very much from working in a workshop under Mr. Allured and still refer to one of his books occasionally. He leaves a wonderful legacy to the world of music. Beth Beattie, St. Louis

[Michael Helman]

We all mourn the passing of one of the greats of the handbell world. I was priviledged to watch him work with groups on more than one occassion and was motivated by his attention to detail and inspired by the way he urged the groups toward greater musicianship. I was also honored at an AGEHR Director's Seminar workshop that Don was conducting to have one of my compositions singled out and praised by him (and he didn't know I was in the group). We were able to have a very nice discussion after the workshop session which I will always remember.
All of us who work with this special instrument owe a debt of gratitude to Don.
Michael Helman

[hascall.nancy]

Don Allured conducted the first festival I ever attended as a ringer, in 1982 in Walla Walla, Washington. We novices in the very back of the room were terrified, but felt compelled to give our very best effort toward the excellence he clearly expected. Over the years, in a variety of situations, I have had the good fortune to ring under his baton, perform his wonderful compositions, learn in his insightful classes, read his wise words, and to feel considered one of his many friends. From the Maestro I learned never to settle for less than the very best sound handbells are capable of producing, and to continue always exploring new horizons in musical excellence. That is his legacy to us all. I will cherish his memory.
Nancy Hascall
Lake Oswego, OR