Durbin, Monika
Monika Durbin has been involved with handbells since 1994 in various church and school settings. She rang and toured for 3 years under Dr. Larry Smith in Carillon at the University of Southern Mississippi. She studied composition with Dr. Donald E. Allured, and rang under his direction for 4 years in community choir BellFest. Monika currently serves as handbell director for Gonzalez United Methodist Church of Pensacola, Florida, and on the Area IV Board as Webmaster.
Monika is a co-founder/director of the non-profit ensemble Canticle, which uses a variety of instruments to bring comfort and repose to those in nursing homes and hospices. Monika and colleague Bobby Griffin have teamed up as MoBo Bells, directing handbell festivals and workshops, teaching classes, and performing for churches, schools, and Area IV events. The duo co-directs auditioned community handbell choir Resonance!.
Monika teaches private flute, piano and lever harp lessons and is active in her local MTA. She is happily married to her husband, Jerod, a software engineer who plays the drums and teaches percussion in his spare time.
