Our Mission Statement:
The Smithtonians Handbell Ensemble exists for the purpose of entertaining, delighting and educating the public in the art of English handbell ringing."
-- as denoted in our bylaws

The Smithtonians

The Smithtonian Handbell Ensemble is a community handbell choir based in Littleton, Colorado.  It was founded in 1983 and gives performances in the Denver area during two concert seasons, the holiday season and the spring.  Typically, a concert program will be approximately an hour long.

    Membership in the Smithtonians is by audition only, and previous handbell experience is required.  Today’s members of the choir have a combined ringing experience of over 250 years.

    The choir has deep ties to both private and public venues, including a longstanding tradition of playing at the Littleton History Museum and Bemis Library during the holiday season. We have dedicated ourselves to bringing music to a variety of retirement communities in the Denver Metro Area. We bring our Holiday and Spring concerts to many of these communities year after year. 
 
     Over the years, the ensemble has presented music in many venues, including Boettcher Concert Hall in Denver’s Center for the Performing Arts, and Denver’s Botanic Gardens. They have performed with The Lone Tree Symphony, The Skyline Chorus,  The Denver Brass.  They  have  also been featured  at Colorado's state handbell convention.

Meet the Ensemble: Ringers​

Mike Hausman 
22 years playing handbells
Favorite Bell Piece: Five Inscriptions by Cynthia Moklebust
Starting Handbell Choir: Bethany Lutheran Church Carillons
Fun handbell memory: We travelled to a handbell festival in Keystone, CO and ended up getting caught in a blizzard on the ride there.

Fun Facts about Mike:
He brews his own beer. 
If he were going to a potluck, he'd bring Pan de Lole, a corn bread dish with green chiles and monterey jack cheese.
His favorite color is green.




​Maggie Wild 
42 years playing handbells
Favorite Bell Piece: Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen, arr. Joel Raney
Starting Handbell Choir: Crossroads United Methodist Church
Fun handbell memory: When the Smithtonians were the featured group for a past Area II Handbell Festival -- it was so fun and we were so honored to perform

Fun Facts about Maggie:
She loves giving back to the community by helping with hospice work and pet therapy.
If she were going to a potluck, she'd bring fresh fruit and vegetables.
Her favorite color is yellow



​Judy Thousand 
18 years playing handbells
Favorite Bell Piece: Scarborough Fair by Jason Krug
Starting Handbell Choir: a Church in Saudi Arabia
Fun handbell memory: When she attended the 13th International Handbell Symposium in Orlando, FL, and getting the autographs of eight conductors and three composers. She then got to play a concert with over 800 handbell ringers from all around the world.

Fun Facts about Judy:
She lived in Saudi Arabia for 11.5 years, played French Horn in high school, and composes piano music
If she were going to a potluck, she'd bring Turkey Tabbouleh Salad
Her favorite color is emerald green
Marcia Rainey 
22 years playing handbells
Favorite Bell Piece: Highland Cathedral by Julie Turner & Kevin McChesney
Starting Handbell Choir: a church in Atlanta
Fun handbell memory: Going on weekend retreats in the Georgia Mountains when I rang in the Atlanta Concert Ringers, directed by Kevin McChesney.

Fun Facts about Marcia:
She's an avid quilter (having made more than 200 quilts), and she was both a Cub Scout Den Mother and a Florist.
If she were going to a potluck, she'd bring whatever is needed, as she's a keen cook.
Her favorite color is yellow


​Carol Fields  
20 years playing handbells
Favorite Bell Piece: The Great Barrier Reef by Timothy Sherlock
Starting Handbell Choir: Colorado Springs Church Choir
Fun handbell memory: She once accidentally threw a mallet into the crowd.

Fun Facts about Carol:
She has raised two service dog puppies.
If she were going to a potluck, she'd bring devilled eggs
Her favorite color is purple (for today)






​​Stephanie Lewis 
20 years playing handbells
Favorite Bell Piece: Compassion by Jason Krug
Starting Handbell Choir: Bethany Lutheran Church Youth Choir
Fun handbell memory: When I was playing a concert with my College choir, the St. Olaf Handbell Choir, our largest bell fell apart mid-ring, and we had to just pretend like we didn't notice it happening. I laughed so hard that I couldn't see my music by the end.

Fun Facts about Stephanie:
I've studied four languages (though I'm not very good at speaking any of them), and I'm a bench jeweler by trade. 
If she were going to a potluck, I'd bring shredded buffalo chicken. 
Her favorite color is green

David Burrows, Director

David Burrows joined the Smithtonians as Director in fall of 2019 and is excited to be part of the ensemble's legacy of bringing beautiful handbell music to the community.  He has been a handbell ringer for many years. 
     David has conducted vocal choirs as a church musician.  He has been recognized as a hymn composer in Silliman Anthem Competitions.  He wrote several children's musicals, which have been performed around the country, along with his hymns, in Unitarian Universalist churches. With the Smithtonians, he premiered his original handbell arrangement, "That Night In Bethlehem," in 2021 and his original Christmas story with music, "Eliza & the Elf," in 2020.  He co-wrote the "Ruach Song Cycle" for SATB choir and chamber orchestra with spouse Keith Arnold, which premiered in Denver, CO in 2021. With Arnold he also produces the monthly "Evensong," a contemplative music service at Jefferson Unitarian Church in Golden, CO.
     David has a B.A. in Music, with a Voice Emphasis, from Metropolitan State University in Denver, CO.  He has appeared as a Baritone soloist with Evergreen Chorale, Arvada Chorale, Gospel Expressions and One World Singers.   He has worked many years as a therapeutic musician at the bedside of the ill, singing, playing flute and harp. 

Behind the Scenes: 

 The Board:

The Smithtonian Handbell Ensemble is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with administrative oversight provided by a governing board. The board is compiled of a hardworking set of volunteers:

President: Laura Weber-Meyers
Secretary/Treasurer: Mike Hausman
Librarian/Event Manager: Maggie Wild
Hospitality Leader/Liaison: Maribeth McKenna

Founder & Past Director(s):

Don Smith, Founder

The Smithtonian Handbell Ensemble was
​named for its founding director, Don Smith.  
The group was organized in 1983 and most of the original ringers were teachers from the Littleton area where Don was director of bands at Arapahoe High School.  During his 23 years as director of the ensemble, Don built the group into one of the finest in the state, attracting some of the most capable ringers from the Denver metropolitan area (some commuting from as far away as Colorado Springs and Broomfield).  Don retired at the end of the 2006 concert season, handing over the baton to Lisa Lewis, who led the group until the spring of 2019.