. . . and you can register now!
BellFest! is an annual ringing festival for handbell ensembles and a terrific way to perk up after a long Minnesota winter. Up to 35 handbell ensembles and all their ringing equipment will gather to ring under the direction of a noted clinician. The repertoire, learned ahead of time, is rehearsed in this massed setting, and will be performed in a concert for the public in the afternoon.
BellFest!2025 will be on Saturday, March 8, 2025, at North Heights Lutheran Church in Arden Hills. Community and church ensembles are invited to participate!
Several ensembles will have an opportunity to perform solo pieces during the afternoon concert, which begins at 3:00 p.m. (doors open at 2:35 p.m.). It’s not a contest – it’s a sharing time! Consider adding this fun to your day!
This season’s BellFest! – our 29th annual festival (not counting the pandemic year) – will be led by nationally-known clinician Bill Mathis.
We look forward to spending the day making music and learning with you! Once you have registered your ensemble, let us know if you’d like someone from Bells of the Lakes to attend one of your rehearsals as you work on Bellfest! music to offer feedback and coaching.
BellFest!2025 Repertoire
| Title | Comp/ Arranger | Publ. | Publ. # | Level |
| Exuberant Joy | Sherman | Choristers Guild | CGB427 | 2 |
| Restored | Eithun | Choristers Guild | CGB1206 | 2+ |
| Peals of Praise | Buckwalter | Choristers Guild | CGB1322 (2-3 octaves) CBG1323 (3-5 octaves) | 3 |
| Shades of Forest Green | Waugh | Ring Out | MRO2115 | 3 |
| Rhythmic Praise | Krug | AGEHR | MAG36054 | 2+ |
Our clinician
Bill Mathis is a sought-after clinician in both handbell and choral fields, with emphasis in teaching rehearsal techniques and musicianship. He has conducted Handbell Musicians of America national festivals and annual Seminar, as well as many regional and local events. He is the founding and current musical director of Bells of the Lakes and leads Chorus Polaris. Bill recently retired from a 50-year career in church music and his compositions are found in the catalogs of 15 publishers.
“I played handbells for a couple of years in my youth (no tables, holding two bells, all damping at the end of the piece), then started conducting them as a church musician after college,” Bill recalls. “It’s been quite a ride with festivals, seminars, tours, overseas events, ensembles for children, youth and adults, several thousand handbells-in-worship experiences and learning from attending conferences and watching my own ringers. When our children were young, we formed the Mathis Family Ringers, playing music arranged for five pairs of hands. The youngest, Martha, was 6 and had to stand on a bell case to reach the table. Today she is a member of Bells of the Lakes.
“Two years ago, I finished my second six-year term on the board of Handbell Musicians of America. What a wonderful organization it is and so valuable to our members and other people engaged in this field! From events both local and national, to our journal, Overtones, and the many resources found on the website, and to (perhaps most important) the network of colleagues and friends who are in the trenches with us and happy to help along the way.”
Bill’s notes on what to expect from Bellfest! 2025
The day: “After conducting more than 40 handbell festivals, I’ve come to focus on three things: making it an enjoyable day for everybody, creating a time of learning and preparing for an interesting and engaging concert at the end of the day.”
The repertoire: “This festival’s musical selections are an entertaining mix you will enjoy learning and playing at the festival and beyond. The pieces are quite accessible, all at levels 2, 2+ or 3. Two are favorites from previous Bellfest! gatherings and two are new compositions. We will also be commemorating two handbell composers who passed away in 2024, Arnold Sherman and Tim Waugh.”
Have questions? Contact bellfest@bellsofthelakes.org.
