Palmer, J H LaVerne

Palmer, J H LaVerne

Palmer, J.H. LaVerne

J.H. LaVerne Palmer is a Professional Engineer (Civil) with a Masters and Ph.D. in Geotechnical Engineering from the University of Toronto. He has worked in the public and private sectors, taught in the University of Western Ontario and retired as a Senior Research Officer after 21 years of service with the National Research Council of Canada.

LaVerne is a founding member of the Rothwell Ringers. He has directed the Children’s and Youth Community Handbell Choirs of Rothwell United Church in Ottawa since 1994. He has directed and arranged music for Rothwell’s 4-In-Hand Ensemble since 2005.

For a number of years, in order to keep the young ringers busy and challenged, LaVerne tended to “mess” (an expression of his Director of Music) with the music. Somewhere along the way he crossed the line between “messing” with the music and “arranging” pieces to inspire and challenge his Ringers. His arrangement of “Twilight Chimes” for 3 to 5 octaves was selected as winner of the OGEHR‘s (Ontario Guild of English Handbell Ringers) 2005 Biannual Composer/Arranger Competition.