Bells of the Lakes Members
William H. Mathis, Musical Director, “retired” from a 50-year career in church music and has continued as an active clinician in both the choral and handbell fields, giving special emphasis to teaching rehearsal technique and musicianship. Bill has been the conductor of Handbell Musicians of America’s national festivals and annual Seminar, as well as many events at the local and regional levels. He is the founding musical director of Bells of the Lakes and, in his failed attempt at retirement, also leads Chorus Polaris. His compositions are found in the catalogs of 15 publishers.
Jennifer Cadwell began her ringing career in 1987 at Christ United Methodist Church in Rochester, Minnesota, under the direction of her mom. Since then, she has rung in ensembles in Des Moines, Iowa, St. Louis, Missouri, and northern California. She attended Drake University and received her master of music degree in piccolo performance at Webster University. Jennifer is also a vocalist, performing as a soloist and in ensembles. She directs the bell program and children’s choirs at Centennial United Methodist Church in Roseville, Minnesota, and serves as chair for Area 7 of Handbell Musicians of America. Jennifer and her husband, Jeff, have two daughters.
Cynthia Clanton discovered handbells as an adult, adding a fascinating new musical chapter to her previous experience as a church organist, band and orchestra member, and marching band/show choir/dance team chaperone and theater mom. When not making music, Cynthia is typically working at marketing communications, trying out a new recipe, or waging war with weeds, rocks, and gophers on her family’s farm south of the Twin Cities.
Laura Goulding is thrilled to be ringing for a second year with Bells of the Lakes, which she’s wanted to do since first ringing in the Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church youth bell choir as a teenager. Before joining Bells of the Lakes, she was a longtime member of the Hennepin Chime handbell choir. She is excited to be part of such a skilled and dedicated group of ringers.
Kristin (KJ) Johnson joined Bells of the Lakes in 2019. She picked up bell ringing as a way to continue making music after her drum corps days were over and has been part of Hennepin Chime at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church for nearly two decades. Kristin is a mathematics teacher at St. Louis Park High School and spends her evenings chauffeuring her three daughters to their many activities.
Eric Kvasnicka is in his third year ringing with Bells of the Lakes. He began ringing during his first year at St. Olaf College and rang for all four years of college, although his senior year was cut short because of the pandemic. Outside of ringing, Eric is a recent law school graduate who just passed the bar exam and is beginning his law career. In his free time, he likes to run, Nordic ski, play piano and read.
Akudo Omeoga began ringing as a fourth-grader at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church with Bill Mathis. Her two siblings and four cousins were also in bell choir, learning and playing together. After college, she picked up bells again at Camphor Memorial United Methodist Church and has been ringing there since 2012 while doing a year of service with the Sisters of St. Joseph. She happened to visit the church on a Sunday when the bells played and joined their next practice, even before she joined the church.
Laurie Pyle has been ringing handbells for over 40 years, and still enjoys every minute! She also has directed youth choirs and adult choirs. In addition to Bells of the Lakes, Laurie has been a sub for numerous choirs and ensembles in the Twin Cities for rehearsals and performances. Some of her favorite bell memories are ringing with Hart Morris for the debut of his piece “7/8 Lay them Straight”, playing at Orchestra Hall with Doc Severinsen and the Minnesota Orchestra for the Jingle Bell Doc concerts, and playing showcase concerts at the National Seminars in San Diego and St. Louis. Laurie also has been playing flute and piccolo since grade school, performing for many weddings, concerts, and other assorted performances! She is supported by an understanding family that includes her husband and daughter, who both play bells. Laurie is the President of Bells of the Lakes.
Krista Riedel has been ringing for more than 25 years and has been ringing with Bells of the Lakes since 2011, taking only one year off when her daughter was born. She studied music performance in handbells at Concordia University in St. Paul, where she was in the Handbell Ensemble, Christus Chorus, Concert Band and Vox 9. Krista has served on the Area 7 board with Handbell Musicians of America and has been both a performer and teacher at the area and national levels. An active vocalist, flautist, pianist and handbell soloist throughout the Twin Cities metro region, she also directs the youth handbells at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church and works as the office administrator at Redeemer Covenant Church. Krista is married to Darin Riedel, also a ringer and director, and they have a very active toddler, Haleigh, and a Corgi, Arthur.
Emily Ruetz is in her third year ringing with Bells of the Lakes. She began ringing with Hennepin Chime and has also rung with Salem Covenant Church in New Brighton. She is a percussionist with 10-plus years of concert and marching experience, including with Minnesota Brass. Outside of musical pursuits, she works for a national nonprofit organization and enjoys spending time with her partner and her cat.
Kristyn Svoboda has been ringing since college, discovering handbells as a student at Concordia University in St. Paul, Minnesota. She works as a research specialist, doing background checks with Omni Data Retrieval. She has mastered several other instruments, including flute, bassoon, percussion and piano. She’s a native of Farmington, Minnesota, and is partial to puppies, chocolate and video games.
Sue Thompson joined Bells of the Lakes in 2019. She got her ringing start in sixth grade as part of River Hills United Methodist Church Wesley Ringers. She took a break while working as a park ranger at Yellowstone National Park and in Oklahoma, then rejoined River Hills ringers in 2016 as one of the church’s Jubilate Ringers. She is a health and safety specialist at Boston Scientific and enjoys spending time with her wife, watching movies and camping with friends.
Dave Tidball first picked up a handbell in September 1985 when he agreed to direct the Golden Bells of Arlington Hills United Methodist Church in Maplewood, Minnesota, as part of his responsibilities as music director. His 45-minute crash course included the suggestion that he both ring in and direct the group, a practice he came to thoroughly enjoy. In 1991, he moved to Peace United Methodist Church in Shoreview, Minnesota, and founded Ringers of Peace, which he still directs despite his retirement from the staff in August 2022. You might catch Dave playing drums with Jumpin’ Jehosafats, a jazz group he helped found in 1985. And, as a life-long amateur engineer, he is often seen puttering around the condo where he lives and serves as homeowners association president or at the ARC Retreat Center near Cambridge, Minnesota, where he started as a part-time maintenance person in 1996 and serves on the center’s board of directors.
Laura Wahl has a lifelong enjoyment of playing handbells. She’s been fortunate to ring with groups including Hennepin Ringers, Hennepin Chime, Bells of the Pond Quartet, Mele Mai Paki Lima in Hawaii and Bells of the Lakes. She says the best parts of ringing in a handbell choir are being part of the community, having fun and making beautiful music together.
Scott Ward admits he started ringing bells in 1985 to meet women – and it worked! He met his wife, Deb, at an area handbell festival in Fargo a year later and they have been ringing together in church bell choirs since then. He and Deb have one daughter and a long history of attending handbell events as a family. Scott is a charter member of Bells of the Lakes. He has been chosen for several handbell conference choirs and he plays flute and piccolo in the Honeywell Concert Band. When he’s not making music, Scott is an IT analyst for a defense contractor and loves to take motorcycle trips.
David Hood is the Bells of the Lakes manager. He is also a trumpet player, composer, Army veteran and executive director of a community choral group. His nonprofit leadership experience began in 1989 as chair of the American Red Cross station at the U.S. Army Hospital in Nuremburg, Germany. He has worked at the world’s largest children’s museum (The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis) and serves on the board of three nonprofit organizations. He lives with his wife and three composer-named cats in Delano, Minnesota, where he operates a music publishing and production company.
