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Dr. John Behnke
is Professor of Music at Concordia University in Mequon, Wisconsin
where he teaches organ and directs The Alleluia Ringers, Concordia's
touring handbell choir. He is also organist at Historic Trinity
Evangelical Lutheran Church in downtown Milwaukee where he plays
on an 1878 Schuelke organ.
Dr. Behnke is
also a frequent organ recitalist, handbell clinician, and festival
director. Beginning in July, 2003, he became the new Music Editor
for the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers. He enjoys composing
and arranging having handbell, choral, and organ compositions in
print with seventeen different publishers in the United States,
Germany, and Taiwan. A complete works listing can be found online
at www.johnbehnke.com.
He was honored
in December of 1993 being named "MVP" Most Valuable Player
in the Milwaukee area by Milwaukee Sentinel music critic, Nancy
Raabe. He has also received an ASCAP Composers Award every year
since 1998.
A 1974 graduate
of Concordia-River Forest, IL. he received his M. Music in Church
Music and Organ from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.
In 1978. His D. Music was awarded to him in 1984 by Northwestern
University where he was elected into the Alpha Chapter of Pi Kappa
Lambda, a National Honorary Music Society. From August 1978 to July
1979 Dr. Behnke studied at the Westphalian Church Music Institute
in Herford, W. Germany, where he passed the "A" Exam in
Organ with the grade of "1-Excellent".
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