Meet Our Members

Briana is a cellist and handbell musician living in Chicago’s Kenwood neighborhood. She graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education. Briana is on the faculty of the Merit School of Music and teaches and directs at The People’s Music School.  Briana has taught, directed, and performed handbells and strings in Missouri, Louisiana and Chicago. Briana enjoys exploring the city, training for races and spending time with her family and goldendoodle.

Nate started playing handbells in 1995 at a small church in western Illinois, learning as he went, and is now the director of the handbell choir at Community United Methodist in Naperville.  Nate has also played French horn in suburban orchestras and is involved in local community theater productions.   When not thinking about music, Nate ‘makes the internet go’ working at a local Internet provider and spends time with his wife.

Denise is a retired music teacher/choral director from the Schaumburg School District. She and her husband, Eric, have three adult musical children Chris, Andrew, and Nina. Denise began ringing bells in 1995 and soon after became her church’s handbell director. She first joined Chicago Bronze in 1999.  She is Music Director at FCC of West Dundee where she directs the Chancel Choir and the FCC Ringers. She also plays clarinet in the Knock On Wood Clarinet Choir.

Maxwell Dykla of Chicago started playing handbells in 2nd Grade. Outside of Chicago Bronze, he teaches PreK-8th Grade Music in Chicago Public Schools and serves as accompanist for various church and school groups in the Chicagoland area. With Lakeside Pride Music Ensembles, he accompanies monthly shows for the Wilde Cabaret and is the Music Director for both the Latin Band and Saborcito ensembles.

Holly was a four-year member of her college handbell choir, playing at mass and concerts, as well as on tour around the country, even on the Great Wall of China! She graduated from Notre Dame in 2017 in Applied Math and Economics and started work at NCSA as a data analyst. Holly moved to Chicago in 2018 and lives in Logan Square. In her free time, she likes to visit her family in Valpo, play board games, watch HS and college basketball, and keep the scorebook at Cubs games!

Elise began ringing handbells at age 11 as a student of composer-director Nick Hanson. At age 16, she began playing professionally with the Virginia Bronze and National Honors handbell ensembles in DC. While in grad school at Notre Dame, she spent two years with the Bells of Joyful Sound before arriving in Chicago and joining Chicago Bronze. Elise serves as the Director of Lifelong Faith Formation at Old St. Mary’s Catholic Church and School. In her spare time, she teaches theology classes, enjoys crafting and hanging out with her cats.

Michele was introduced to handbells when her mother started a choir at her church. She started and directed a handbell choir in West Chicago for 17 years. Michele is a church organist/pianist, plays flute, and has served as a Choir Director. Michele is also a CPA and manages her tax practice. She is Mom to four grown children and grandmother to 3 energetic grandsons. In her free time, Michele loves to travel with her husband, David, and spend time with their family.

Anne lives in Lakewood and retired after teaching band and orchestra for 30 years. She has enjoyed bell ringing for more than 20 years. She is very involved in her church’s music ministry, as a flute player and handbell director.  Anne has attended numerous handbell clinics and has served as a handbell clinician. She and her husband, Kevin, enjoy travelling and spending time with their grandchildren.