Friday, January 23, 2026 • 7:00 PM EST
Presenter: Shannon Casey
We will share real-world strategies for onboarding new ringers of all ages and experience levels—everything from rehearsal pacing and mentoring systems to inclusive language and ensemble traditions. You will hear what is working for other directors and ringers and leave with practical ideas you can implement right away. Come ready to reflect, share, and gather new tools to build not just stronger musicians—but a stronger ensemble community.
About Shannon
Shannon C. Casey has served as Artistic Director and Conductor of Sonoran Bells since 2011, following her earlier tenure as a performing member from 2004 to 2009. She also directs the Steeple Bells at Northminster Presbyterian Church and serves as Interim Handbell Director at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, sharing her passion for musical excellence across a variety of sacred and community settings.
A dedicated leader in the handbell community, Shannon is a former Chair of the Area 11 Board for Handbell Musicians of America and has supported national handbell education as a local liaison for HMA’s National Seminar. She is a frequent participant in events such as Distinctly Bronze, National Seminar, and Pinnacle, and is known for her skill in developing both ensembles and individual musicians.
In addition to her musical work, Shannon brings over two decades of experience in organizational leadership. She offers executive coaching and fractional COO services through her company, Spiral Rose Leadership, helping service-based organizations grow with clarity and purpose. Shannon holds a Master of Music in Instrumental Conducting and a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Arizona.
00:16:02 Kathy Smith: Saginaw, MI Church ensemble
00:16:05 Cecilia Tucker Myers: Yonkers, NY Church Bell Choir
00:16:13 Eliz&Rick Church: Adult ensemble – church. Rochester, NY
00:16:17 Carlene Ruesenberg: Concord, NH church ensemble
00:16:17 Kristin R.: Church ensembles – 1 adult bell choir, 2 youth bell/chime choirs – O’Fallon, IL near STL
00:16:20 Kyelene Flaming: Director-Rose Hill UMC Rocket (advanced) Ringers & Rhythm (beginner) Ringers choirs
00:16:20 Nancy Schwerdt: Nancy Schwerdt Lancaster CA Church bells and chimes
00:16:22 Becky Wasio: From North Liberty, IN (near South Bend) – both church choir and community choir
00:16:22 Fernanda V: San Francisco Bay Area. No ensemble at the moment, but I’ve mostly directed and played in church settings.
00:16:25 Audrey Pierce: Easthampton, Mass… church ell choir
00:16:29 Marta Neill: Ankeny, Iowa. High school small ensemble.
00:16:30 j.winzenburger: Berea Ohio – church ensemble
00:16:33 pamshaw: Church ensemble
00:16:36 Marilyn Converse: Church choir in existence for 41 years. Currently all adults. In Rockville, Md. Had new challenge with 11 year old who wanted to learn to ring with us.
00:16:42 Fernanda V: Reacted to “Saginaw, MI Church e…” with 👋
00:16:42 Karen: help out a senior
00:16:43 Lynn Beebe: Boone, NC I play with a church/community ensemble and work as a co-director with our children’s church choir.
00:17:17 Fernanda V: Replying to “Saginaw, MI Church e…”
Hi Kathy! (We met a couple years ago 😊)
00:17:51 Kathy Smith: Replying to “Saginaw, MI Church e…”
was it at a seminar?
00:21:37 Kyelene Flaming: Am I going to be able to do this?
00:21:43 Eliz&Rick Church: They’re not good enough
00:21:51 Marilyn Converse: That they might embarrass themselves
00:21:58 Eliz&Rick Church: I’m the new kid – awkward
00:22:01 Leslie Zeien: They don’t “fit” the group
00:22:07 Cecilia Tucker Myers: Special Needs Adult, can I measure up with the regular players
00:22:13 Kristin R.: There won’t be a spot for me or they will compare me to the person that moved/left/passed
00:22:24 Kyelene Flaming: How am I only going to be able to read two notes if I’m used to playing x, y, z instrument?
00:30:59 Kathy Smith: starting with a piece that has too many techniques
00:31:03 pamshaw: When everyone else has been in the group for years and expected to know all the nomenclature
00:31:05 j.winzenburger: Not just technique terminology but often basic music technology
00:31:05 Kyelene Flaming: If you jump right into playing a piece without a foundation or warm-up period.
00:31:09 Becky Wasio: If the new ringer comes in after we have started (3rd or 4th rehearsal.)
00:31:11 Eliz&Rick Church: Like you said – using too many shorthand phrases
00:31:22 Kristin R.: we have many songs that start with accidentials right on the first page
00:31:38 Lynn Beebe: The rehearsal may be too fast-paced as we try to read all of our new pieces.
00:31:43 Cecilia Tucker Myers: The very beginning. Doesn’t yet know how to read the music symbols
00:32:54 Kristin R.: I usually try to do at least one 1 on 1 lesson to teach the initial technique so that i’m not trying to do this with the whole group at the same time. That way they don’t feel the peer pressure
00:33:47 Leslie Zeien: Yes I agree. Then your whole group isn’t held back!
00:37:28 Kim Braswell: offer extra time to help them with any struggles
00:37:30 Carlene Ruesenberg: I try to do a 2nd 1:1 with them before the 2nd rehearsal
00:37:32 Kathy Smith: spend time with them after the rehearsal and encourage them
00:37:32 pamshaw: Offer to meet them one on one to go over tehcniques
00:38:21 Marta Neill: Get to know them as a person, not just a ringer.
00:38:27 Kristin R.: I usually check in with them and let them know when we are going to be starting a new piece for the first time. I find that the sightreading rehearsals are always most stressful, so them knowing in advance is helpful
00:38:37 Kyelene Flaming: Reacted to “
Get to know them as…” with ❤️
00:38:46 Carlene Ruesenberg: Reacted to “
Get to know them as…” with ❤️
00:38:54 Karen: have another recent new ringer check in with them
00:42:01 Kristin R.: Earlier this year, I introduced one of our newest members and later, she asked me if we could do it again at the next practice but say everyone’s names so that she meets everyone else, not just everyone else meeting her
00:43:36 Marilyn Converse: I give them a print out of technique symbols unique to handbells for them to take home and study.
00:43:47 Kyelene Flaming: How long of a rehearsal would you suggest needs a break and how long of a break do you give them?
00:44:04 j.winzenburger: I had to control the existing members from being “too helpful” as 2 or 3 would try to talk to the newly at the same time, creating a chaotic moment
00:44:05 Becky Wasio: I was just thinking that name cards could be attached to the back or side of music stands.
00:44:14 J.R. Smith (He/Him): Speaking of introductions, I would personally introduce them to their stand partner before the first rehearsal so they start developing a relationship.
00:45:38 Marta Neill: My community group rehearses 3 hours with a break approximately half way.
00:47:01 Marta Neill: I moved 18 months ago so I have been the new ringer at both church and in a community group even though I have lots of experience ringing. My new community group did introductions during the break of my first rehearsal with a few items of information from each member.
00:56:15 pamshaw: Any suggestions for those members that have no music background? How to help them “catch-up” to the rest of the group.
00:56:31 Eliz&Rick Church: I left a great community ensemble because the people were off putting. ANd I was a founding member!
00:57:24 Kyelene Flaming: Reacted to “I left a great commu…” with 😢
00:57:28 Becky Wasio: Sometimes, I think it’s hard to address negative behaviors because it’s not easy to tell another adult to stop doing something. Any suggestions on how to address any negative behaviors?
00:58:35 Eliz&Rick Church: Tone if definitely set by the director!
00:58:46 Karen: bonding activities
00:58:50 Eliz&Rick Church: …is definitely set…
01:00:18 Kyelene Flaming: I have been the newbie coming in to direct two already established choirs. It’s been challenging for me with the previous director being a ringer in the choir as I have been trying to find my own voice and figuring out the culture.
01:02:35 Kristin R.: We have a “polishing party” each year to take care of the bells, but we also then bring appetizers and snacks for once we are done. We have traditionally done this at the end of the school year/season, since we take summers off, but I’m working on changing this to within the first couple of weeks after summer break ends so that we can do all the team building at the beginning instead of at the end of year
01:02:43 Kyelene Flaming: Reacted to “We have a “polishing…” with ❤️
01:03:02 pamshaw: Reacted to “We have a “polishing…” with ❤️
01:03:04 Marta Neill: Reacted to “We have a “polishing…” with ❤️
01:03:28 Eliz&Rick Church: Reacted to “We have a “polishing…” with 👍
01:04:05 Cecilia Tucker Myers: Reacted to “We have a “polishing…” with 👍
01:04:38 Kyelene Flaming: Replying to “We have a “polishing…”
I’ve done that right before the concert. So much fun! The polish helps the levity…
01:04:56 Lynn Beebe: Our group has a “Back to Bells” rehearsal on a Saturday morning. Then, we all go to lunch together. It’s a great time to get to know new Ringers.
01:05:05 Kyelene Flaming: Reacted to “Our group has a “Bac…” with ❤️
01:05:19 pamshaw: Reacted to “Our group has a “Bac…” with ❤️
01:06:21 Becky Wasio: I might have missed hearing what was said… but what was said about helping the people that might be on the edge?
01:06:23 pamshaw: I am organizing a weekend get away with some technique workshops
01:06:33 Kyelene Flaming: More group opportunities. Love the “Back to Bells” idea!
01:06:35 Kristin R.: I want to do a better job of approaching binder mates ahead of time to make sure they are prepared to be the best teammate ever! And asking them to come early the first rehearsal to meet the new ringer next to them.
01:07:12 Eliz&Rick Church: Not an answer exactly, but I’ve had people come in with such odd behaviors from a previous choir that I’ve gotten much better at the pre rehearsal phase…
01:07:13 Kathy Smith: Not just checking on the ringers on the edge, but the ringers who are always “the rocks” of the team, giving them encouragement and support as well
01:07:56 Eliz&Rick Church: Not being afraid of those ringers on the edge or “problem” areas…. face it!
01:08:20 Kristin R.: Excellent session. Thank you so much!
01:08:51 Marilyn Converse: Thanks. Good session. Always learn something new after all these years !
01:08:53 Kyelene Flaming: Thank you!!!
01:08:56 Kathy Smith: Thank you Shannon!
01:08:58 Becky Wasio: Thank you!
01:09:04 Carlene Ruesenberg: Thank you! This has been really helpful
01:09:05 j.winzenburger: Good session. thank you
01:09:06 Cecilia Tucker Myers: Thanks so much Shannon
01:09:07 pamshaw: Thank you!
01:09:09 Eliz&Rick Church: 👍
01:09:23 Lynn Beebe: Thank you so much, Shannon!
01:09:45 Fernanda V: Replying to “Saginaw, MI Church e…”
Attended an event at your church 🙂
Jason Krug – Jason W. Krug is a native of Indianapolis, IN. He holds a degree in music from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Jason is a full-time freelance composer, arranger, clinician, and teacher. Since his first publication in 2006, he’s had over 400 compositions and arrangements accepted for handbells, piano, strings, organ, and choir. His works have been featured at numerous festivals and workshops in the United States and beyond. In his spare time, Jason enjoys writing. He has spent several years working on a young adult fantasy series, The Sadonian Chronicles, and recently released his first non-fiction book, The General Theory of Creativity. He frequently participates in the National Novel Writing Month event in November. Jason continues to live in Indianapolis with his wife, Ellen, and his sons, Daniel and Malcolm. You can find him on the web at jasonwkrug.com. 
Leslie Lewis – Leslie Lewis has been ringing handbells since 1979 when she was introduced to them at the Montreat Worship and Music Conference. Leslie has been ringing in the bass section for Distinctly Bronze East since the event began in 1999 and added Distinctly Bronze West in 2019; she also participated in the Distinctly Bronze European Tour in 2007. She has rung low bass in many area and national All Star Choirs, and at Virtuoso 2017 and 2019, sharing the stage with the Raleigh Ringers for the final concert. Leslie rings with Queen City Ringers based in Charlotte, NC, where she also serves as treasurer, and is treasurer for Area 3 of the Handbell Musicians of America. She enjoys substituting for choirs in the Gastonia and Charlotte areas and dabbles in solo ringing. Having added the lower 6th and 7th octave chimes to her growing set of handbell “toys” she hopes to offer her services to add the lower chimes for groups that don’t have them available once ringing returns to “normal” in the area. After graduating from North Carolina State University with a degree in computer science, Leslie worked for IBM and First Union National Bank for a combined 15 years before turning a part-time role preparing income taxes into a career. Leslie is president of Unified Income Taxes and Accounting, Inc., in Gastonia, NC, where she prepares all types of tax returns and, as an enrolled agent, represents clients during IRS tax audits and appeals. Leslie served as director of commission accounting for a Charlotte-based brokerage firm with branches in seventeen states from 2009 to 2015, when she left to pursue the role of chief accounting officer for a commercial aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul station located in Medley, FL. Other than bells, Leslie enjoys playing golf and walking on the beach as a precursor to life after retirement.
Bruna Marinho – Bruna Marinho is an energetic handbell ringer, pianist, and music teacher based in SãoPaulo, Brazil. She is the founder of Handbells Brasil, an organization that promotes the art of handbells in Brazil through performance and education. Bruna graduated in 2014 with a degree in music education from Catholic University of Santos. Bruna first encountered handbells in 2016 as a part of a music exchange led by Dr. Moorman-Stahlman from Lebanon Valley College in Annville, PA. Inspired by this experience, she organized a free handbell workshop in Brazil that was attended by about 40 students. Since 2017, Handbells Brasil has played in community venues and churches and has developed music education programs in elementary schools. In 2018, Handbells Brasil received a donation of three octaves of Whitechapel handbells from a church in Pennsylvania and the organization has purchased two octaves of Malmark handchimes. Bruna is the Malmark representative for Brazil. To promote the art of handbells in Brazil, Bruna spent about six months as a music ministry intern at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, in Iowa City, IA, and attended the HMA National Seminar in Grand Rapids, MI. She recently created a series of comedy handbell videos on YouTube as a way to engage people and spread the joy of handbells. 
Stevie Berryman – Stevie Berryman is astonishingly good at the game Boggle. She can fold a fitted sheet so it looks like it came right out of the package. Likewise, her skills as music director and teacher have also been acquired through long hours of arduous and dedicated practice. For much of her career Stevie has directed seven or more ensembles each week, meaning she has 98 years of experience (in dog years). Her effusive energy and wild creativity found a perfect setting in 2013 when she became the Artistic Director of the Houston Chamber Ringers, which has let her smash together her love for music, laughter, and tacos in a truly remarkable way. She has a particular passion for teaching children how to ring, and her innovative methods have made her a sought-after educator at area and national handbell festivals. Stevie loves helping other choirs as a private clinician, or planning epic concerts for them as a creative consultant. Her next step in global domination is to take over the card game world with the company she owns and founded with her husband, Paul, Truly Horrible Things. In real life she is the handbell director at First Congregational Church in Houston, TX.
Lisa Arnold – Lisa Arnold started ringing in 1976 with the Wesley Bell Ringers of Salt Lake City, UT, and toured for four summers, performing in 49 states and nine Canadian provinces. The first community handbell ensemble Lisa rang with was Bay Bells in San Jose, CA, and has been a member of the Merrimack Valley Ringers since 2010 when she moved back to New England. Lisa has regularly taught workshops at Area 1 Spring Rings and festivals in topics such as exercises for ringers, bass bell technique, weaving, solo ringing, and handbell notation. Lisa and her husband, Chuck, use handbells as an excuse to travel and ring all over the world. She spends her free time learning Italian and riding bicycles. Lisa serves as Past-Chair of Area 1 of Handbell Musicians of America.
Mark Arnold – Mark Arnold has been an active church musician for most of his life, currently serving as Director of Handbell Ministries at the First Baptist Church of Keller, TX. He is a graduate of the University of Kansas, with bachelor’s degrees in music education and music theory and advanced study in computer science. Mark’s professional experience includes many years of directing handbells, teaching school orchestras, leading adult and children’s choirs, playing horn in community ensembles, and an occasional gig playing bass in jazz or rock groups. In addition to leading workshops and clinics, he has published arrangements for both brass and handbell ensembles. In his “spare” time, he manages software development projects for a major North American transportation provider. Mark and his wife, Robin, have three grown children and reside in Fort Worth, TX.
Ed Rollins – Ed Rollins is the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Columbia Handbell Ensemble, a position he has held since 2006. The ensemble has performed on four occasions for HMA national events and numerous regional and area events. For the last 20 months, Ed served as Interim Executive Director of HMA. He has been active in this organization for many years, serving as Missouri State treasurer, Missouri State chair, Area 8 chair on two occasions, area representative to the national board, and President of the board of directors. For 31 years, Ed was associate pastor for music and administration at First Baptist Church of Columbia. During his tenure at the church, he promoted many ecumenical concerts (including the 9/11 Memorial Concert and the 10th Anniversary Memorial Concert), created an extensive program of liturgical art, and co-founded the highly successful Odyssey Chamber Music Series. Ed is married to Jess Wolfe, a teacher with Columbia Public Schools. He has four terrific step-kids, and in March he and Jess welcomed Iris Mae Wolfe Rollins into the family.
Karen Van Wert – With an insatiable thirst for knowledge and a passion to share what she has learned, Karen Van Wert is at home in a classroom or at the podium. She will tell you, “There is nothing more rewarding than witnessing a ringer grasping a concept and executing it in their music. Building skills and instilling confidence in a ringer is the goal of every rehearsal, for then we can make music.” Karen and her bellboy, James, make their home in Savage, MN.
Barb Walsh – Barb Walsh has been the Northern Nevada/Eastern Sierra Regional Coordinator for Area 12 of Handbell Musicians of America since 1993, and was a public school music teacher in the Reno/Sparks, NV, area for 33 years. She received Educator of the Year Award from the Nevada Music Educators Association in 2014. She has developed handbell programs ranging from elementary school children to the adult community group, Tintabulations, known for their high energy, innovation, and musicianship. When not teaching, directing, or ringing, Barb plays flute and piccolo in local orchestras and shares backcountry adventures with her husband, dog, and horses. 
Linda Krantz – Linda Krantz is an accomplished and widely recognized solo handbell artist, has an active performing career, and regularly teaches at the local, regional, and national level. Linda’s greatest love is to perform solo concerts, where she most enjoys playing classical music. She has performed as far away as Paris, and most recently with David Lockington, cellist and maestro of the Pasadena Symphony. Linda was a student of Nancy Hascall, learning all she could about traveling four-in-hand (4iH) and the nuances of artistic solo ringing. Linda is a founding member and president of L.A. Bronze, a past president and current advisory board member of the Pasadena Symphony, and a founding artist and past board member of Timbré. She has served as secretary of the Area 12 board of Handbell Musicians of America, and currently serves on the National Development Committee for Handbell Musicians of America.