OUR COMPOSERS
Sharon Elery Rogers
Sharon Elery Rogers, who was born in Michigan, is a nationally known composer of hundreds of published choral anthems, masses, organ and vocal collections, brass, piano and Handbell pieces. She is the recipient of 46 annual special award from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers for her many publications and performances in the field of sacred music. Her B.A. and Public School Music Education Certificate were earned at Hillsdale College where she auditioned for and won a four year interstate music scholarship after playing the Revolutionary Etude (in C minor) by Chopin and several other masterworks. She was featured several times as piano soloist with the Hillsdale and South Bend Symphony Orchestras with the late Edwin Haymes conducting. Sharon attended Wayne State University in Detroit for her graduate study in composition and organ. She held the position of Supervisor of Music at three suburban Detroit school systems as well as teaching private music students for a number of years. She sang and arranged music at two Detroit radio stations with the Don Large Chorus, the Lutheran Charities Hour, and was soloist with the Wayne King Chorus. Sharon was an organ soloist at several large churches and held the position of Director of Music at many Detroit and suburban churches.
Several years later, Sharon and family relocated to Southwest Florida. In 1993 she won first prize in the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers composer’s contest with her original piece A Raz-a-ma-taz and was named Composer of the Year in 1999 by the Jeffers Handbell Supply Publishing Co. Sharon was made an Honorary Life Member of the Detroit Chapter of American Guild of Organists, the Cecilian Music Society (National Federation of Music Clubs) and served as chairman of the ASCAP Young Adult Composers in Southwest Florida. She has also received the Alumni Achievement Award from Hillsdale College in recognition for her outstanding service in the field of music and high honor brought to her Alma Mater.
Recently published was her collection from Chorister’s Guild Publishers Music of the Masters (Reduction of famous classics for school and church use written for early handbell and handchime ringers. The collection includes pictures, composers’ biographies and critiques for the teachers explaining the ringing techniques.) Her series of separate easy handbell works with Alfred Publishers titled A Bit of Bach, A Bit of Tchaikovsky, A Bit of Handel and many other composers is being used widely in teaching of early to intermediate ringers.