DEcember 2, 2025
‘Tis the Season to Embellish
A Winter’s Expedition
Program order for today’s concert:
Pat-a-Pan
/
arr. Fred Gramann
The Ash Grove
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arr. Matthew Compton & Alex Guebert
Rewrite the Stars
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arr. Brenda E. Austin; featuring Russell C. on percussion
Sing We Now of Christmas
/
arr. Kevin McChesney
The First Noel
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arr. Cathy Moklebust
Carol of the Bells
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arr. Alex Guebert
Expedition
/
Joel Raney
In the Hall of the Mountain King
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arr. Martha Lynn Thompson
Wizards in Winter
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arr. Hart Morris
Sleigh Ride
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arr. Martha Lynn Thompson; featuring Dawn, Penny, and Courtney on percussion
From our Embellish Family to yours, we hope you have a magical holiday season!
Meet Our Ringers
The handbell ringers who make up Embellish are a dedicated group of musicians who are committed to changing the world with handbells!
Nathan Biller
Year first joined: 2005
A hidden talent: Can solve a Rubik’s cube in under 3 minutes.
Debi Buer
Year first joined: 2019
Other instruments played: I’m learning to play the mandolin!
Russell Cooper
Year first joined: 1999
Other instruments played: Cajon, djembe, bodhran, trombone, all satisfactorily.
Dawn Franchetti
Year first joined: 2018
Other instruments played: Flute/piccolo, keyboard, percussion.
Arianna Hiskes
Year first joined: 2018
The strangest food I enjoy: Cuy Chactado: Peruvian fried guinea pig. It’s better than it sounds!
Lauri Hoff
Year first joined: 2005
The strangest food I enjoy: Unusual but not strange: melted M&Ms. Microwave for 30 seconds. YUM!
Penny Kindraka
Year first joined: 2024
Other instruments played:
I’m a lyric coloratura soprano. “Voice” is certainly an instrument!
Laura Jen
Year first joined: 1996
The strangest food I enjoy: Ba Bao Fan
Julie Kruse
Year first joined: 2004
Other instruments played: Trombone for real; piano for fun. Plus car and shower singing!
Melissa Reiffer
Year first joined: 2002
Other instruments played: I’ve played the violin since I was 3 years old!
Cindy Reimink
Year first joined: 2012
A hidden talent: I don’t need a timer when I bake cookies. My nose knows.
Lisa Sandee
Year first joined: 2003
The strangest food I enjoy:
I don’t enjoy strange food. If it’s strange, it shouldn’t be eaten.
Courtney Sheffer
Year first joined: 2016
The strangest food I enjoy: Thai food with ZERO spice (give me the flavor, but not the heat!)
Melanie Tolsma
Year first joined: 1997, 2023
The strangest food I enjoy: Boiled peanuts, especially at sporting events!
Russell Van Vlack
Year first joined: 2019
Other instruments played: Everything but the flute. I can’t play the flute. You’d only laugh.
Hannah Wheaton
Year first joined: 2018
Other instruments played: Getting back into piano has been one of my post-college projects
Dennis Willemsen
Year first joined: 2008
A hidden talent: I can avoid answering questions about myself in 70 characters or less.
Heather Willemsen
Year first joined: 2008
The strangest food I enjoy: Nerds Gummy Clusters – introduced to me at an Embellish snack time!
Music Director: Brenda E. Austin
Year first joined: 2023
Brenda is a dynamic and energetic conductor, clinician, and composer, who has led numerous festivals and workshops, both nationally and internationally. She has more than 110 titles (and counting) of published handbell and sacred choral works.
Embellish is thrilled to take part in debuting some of her compositions and arrangements during our concerts!
Special Thanks
Thanks to the generous supporters of the Embellish Family
Donors
Ringers Circle
Dale & Elizabeth Deppe
Linda Myers, in Memory of Shirley Myers
Ric & Stephanie Wiltse
Patron
Jim & Marilou Reiffer
Terry & Ken Reimink
Susan Stoddard
Donor
Linda Burpee & Sara Smolenski
Bob & Sue Cobb
Russell Cooper
Caroline Downing
Esther Franklin
Lauri Hoff
Enoch & Nancy Jen
Jim & Penny Kindraka
Melinda Kopec
Deb & Jess Larson
Melissa Reiffer
Ron & Joanne Rozema
Pat Sanders
Mike & Judy Skrzycki
Melanie Tolsma
Russell & Laura Van Vlack
Dennis & Heather Willemsen
Supporter
Debra Buer
Deborah DeVoe
Janet Dykema
Laura Jen
Rich & Nancy Kitchen
Paul & Ellie Kotowicz
Steven & Janet Peters
Barbara Schoenborn
Sharon & Keith Scott
Courtney Sheffer
Hannah Wheaton
Friend
Linda Bartusch
Paula Berg
Becky Bosch
Phyllis Corriea
Amy DeBoer
Jasmine DiDiego
Carol Dykhouse
Patrick Farrell
Mr. & Mrs. Lynn Francis
Sarah Greenwood
Louisa Houskamp
Calvin & Karen Jen
Heather Milton
Elizabeth Reed
Susan Samsell
Nikki Simons
Kevin Singer, in honor of Cindy Reimink
John & Sue Sullivan
Anastasia Tafelsky
Diane Thompson
Linda Vandenberg
Amy Wallenburg
Kristin Wright
Donald Youngkin
Linda Zimmer
Thank You
Special thanks to Mayflower Congregational Church; Dennis and Heather Willemsen (our trailer transporters); our fabulous Board of Trustees; our Honorary Associate Director Fred Gramann; Videographer Tim Bryant
Embellish is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization; your support via financial donation is tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
Local Arts
Thank you to the The West Michigan Arts Council for their ongoing support of the Embellish Family.
