Featured Clinician

Barbara Meinke, a life-long California girl, holds a BA in Music from Cal State Fullerton and has been directing handbell music at Hope Lutheran Church in Temecula, CA for 29 years. Having rung with Timbré and Sonos, she now rings regularly in Distinctly Bronze where she was the selected Associate Conductor in March 2020. A conductor and teacher in her heart and soul, Barbara has performed, taught handbell ringing and musicianship classes, and inspired massed ringers at past HMA National Seminars and handbell events all over the United States and in Germany, including serving as the Advanced Handbell Director for PAM’s Conference on Music and Worship in Montreat, NC in 2016. She loves her newest role as Nana and enjoys cooking and entertaining, crafting, and traveling. Barbara brings enthusiasm, energy, and superb musicianship to the stage, classroom and podium.

Lynn G. Atkins

A native of the Jersey Shore, Lynn Gary Atkins, Jr. enjoys a career as a conductor, a professional tenor, as well as a music educator. Lynn’s first foray into handbells was as a member of the Training Bell Choir at Westminster Choir College of Rider University during his freshman year. In 2002, he became a member of the Westminster Concert Bell Choir. After graduation, Lynn resurrected the Handbell Program at Ewing High School, a program that is still engaged in promoting musicianship through handbells for high school students now more than 20 years. Equally comfortable in Community Music and Sacred Music, Lynn has been proud to serve as artistic director for the James River Ringers of Richmond, VA as well as the Philadelphia Handbell Ensemble. He has directed handbell programs for churches in New Jersey and Virginia.

Lynn received his Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from Westminster in 2004. He is proud to be a member of the first cohort to be named Doctor of Musical Arts from James Madison University in 2012. Currently, Dr. Atkins serves as Assistant Professor of Music, Director of Choral Activities and Voice Area Coordinator at California State University, Dominguez Hills in Carson, CA. In addition to these duties, he is also Director of Music Ministries at Faith United Methodist Church in Torrance, CA. In 2022, Lynn became the Third Artistic Director of L.A. Bronze Handbell Ensemble in Los Angeles. Finally, he is honored to serve as Member at Large on the National Board of Directors for Handbell Musicians of America.