Kinney, Paul
Paul Kinney first played handbells in middle school and continued through high school. He graduated from Albion College with majors in Computational Mathematics and Music. He started attending the First United Methodist Church of Garden City, Michigan and six weeks later a new set of bells arrived. He got the job of directing the bell choir because he knew what to do with them. He directed the group for 32 years.
Paul joined the Detroit Handbell Ensemble in 1993 and was a part of their featured performances at Area 5 Festivals and National Seminars. During DHE workshops Paul taught the class on handbell techniques.
Paul’s first career was as a computer programmer in the auto industry, which included two years in Cologne, Germany. While there he worked with music students and a borrowed set of chimes. They performed as part of a student concert in the Philharmonie concert hall.
Paul completed a Master of Music in composition from Wayne State University two months after retiring from his first career. His second career was a music theory instructor at Marygrove College in Detroit.
Paul currently leads the handbell choir and quartet at Redford Aldersgate United Methodist Church. When not in or in front of a bell choir or composing music Paul enjoys researching his genealogy. He also enjoys travel, especially travel to handbell events, such as International Handbell Symposiums.
