Fred Merrett

Fred Merrett was born in Manitoba and began teaching music in Winnipeg in 1948. He moved to Edmonton, Alberta in 1973 where he taught high school music and was the first teacher to acquire and utilize handbells in a classroom setting.

A well-known composer and arranger of handbell music, Fred Merrett was involved in the development of the Alberta Guild of English Handbell Ringers (ALGEHR) and served as its President. Each year ALGEHR sponsors the Fred Merrett Award For New Compositions, funded by the Symposium Endowment Fund.