Concert Bells of Fort Worth

Concert Bells of Fort Worth is an auditioned community handbell ensemble of advanced ringers from North Texas dedicated to musical excellence through artistic handbell performance.  Founded in 1998, the group performs a diverse repertoire, from classical transcriptions to innovative original works, with precision and musical sensitivity. In addition to performing holiday and spring concerts, Concert Bells was selected to present a featured concert at Pinnacle in Dallas – a national event sponsored by Handbell Musicians of America that took place in July, 2015. The group has also premiered a work commissioned for organ and handbells by Sondra K. Tucker at the Fort Worth American Guild of Organists convention in June 2015.

In the past, Concert Bells performed the Showcase Concert for the Handbell Musicians of America Area 9 festival in June of 2010 in Arlington, Texas. They were also the featured performer at the 2005 and 2013 Fall Seminars presented by the Greater Dallas Handbell Association.  The group has served as the local liaison for the 2005, 2007 and 2015 Handbell Musicians of America National Seminars held in Dallas, and was also selected to serve as the choir for the master class in conducting (2005) and for the hymn festival (2007). Several of the ringers also serve as handbell clinicians and conductors for local and national workshops, seminars, and camps and several are published composers of handbell music.

Concert Bells is privileged to work with Choristers Guild, recording new releases for their demonstration recordings. The ensemble’s artistry is also on display in their recently released Christmas CD “Let All the Earth Rejoice and Ring” and “Radiance” released in 2012.

Stephanie Rhoades, conductor and artistic director since 2003, brings over 30 years of handbell experience to the ensemble. She is Minister of Music and the Arts at Northaven United Methodist Church in Dallas and recently served for six years as an At-Large Member of the Handbell Musicians of America’s national board. She holds music degrees from Yale University and Southern Methodist University.

Concert Bells of Fort Worth is organized as a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation and receives most of its funding through performance fees and donations made through the Friends of Concert Bells program.