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 SmithtoniansThe 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, 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 H.
30 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. Maggie W. 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. Judy T. 21 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. Joshua E. 4 years playing handbells Favorite Bell Piece: Hallelujah Chorus Starting Handbell Choir: Fresno Pacific Handbell Ensemble Favorite handbell memory: Needing to rehearse handbell quartet and not being able to meet until midnight, so we met then and rehearsed until we fell asleep on the ground at 2 am. Maribeth M. 30 years playing handbells Favorite Bell Piece: Christmas Even Sarajevo Starting Handbell Choir: St. Peter Lutheran Church Favorite handbell memory: Ringing at a festival in Keystone with a ballroom full of singers. Keith A. 23 years playing handbells Favorite Bell Piece: Pirates of the Caribbean Starting Handbell Choir: Jefferson Unitarian Church Favorite handbell memory: My first season with Smithtonians! Molly H. 45 years playing handbells Favorite Bell Piece: Gift of Love, arranged by Brenda E Austin Starting Handbell Choir: Mini Ringers, Highland, IL Favorite handbell memory: Playing as a trio with two of my siblings. |
Marcia R.
23 years playing handbells Favorite Bell Piece: Highland Cathedral by Julie Turner & Kevin McChesney Starting Handbell Choir: church in Atlanta, GA Fun handbell memory: Going on weekend retreats in the Georgia Mountains when I rang in the Atlanta Concert Ringers, directed by Kevin McChesney. Carol F. 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. Annette K. 7 years playing handbells Favorite Bell Piece: In the Mood by Joe Garland, arranged for handbells by Hart Morris Starting Handbell Choir: Northern Arizona University H. M. Harter Memorial Handbell Choir Fun handbell memory: I loved playing during the luminarias event at Desert Botanical Gardens (in Phoenix, AZ). What a magical way to get in the spirit for the holiday season! Isabelle K. 22 years playing handbells Favorite Bell Piece: Pirates of the Caribbean Starting Handbell Choir: First Presbyterian Church, Boulder, CO Favorite handbell memory: Hard work and many laughs in all seven handbell ensembles I've been fortunate enough to be a part of. Kieran M. 13 years playing handbells Favorite Bell Piece: Herzliebster Jesu Starting Handbell Choir: First Plymouth Favorite handbell memory: Practicing next to my sister and the inevitable shenanigans we get up to :) David K. 49 years playing handbells Favorite Bell Piece: Do Lord Starting Handbell Choir: High School Choir, St. Mark's UMC in S.D. Favorite handbell memory: Handbell Festival in S. D. with Kevin McChesney as clinician. |
David Burrows, DirectorDavid conducted children’s and adult choirs for many years in church settings. He authored several children’s musicals that were performed in Denver and around the country in Unitarian Universalist Churches. He has been recognized as a hymn composer in Silliman Anthem Competitions. He has a degree in Voice with additional studies in piano. He serves as a therapeutic musician in healthcare settings. As a choral singer and baritone soloist, he has appeared with Evergreen Chorale, Arvada Chorale, Gospel Expressions, One World Singers and Seicento Baroque Ensemble. As well, he has been a featured saxophonist/flutist with choirs. David was first introduced to handbell ringing through Jefferson Unitarian Church in Golden, CO. He has attended workshops on handbell techniques and rung locally and at national church conferences. He is excited to be part of the Smithtonian legacy of bringing beautiful handbell music to the community.
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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 Vice-President: Pat Beauchamp Secretary/Treasurer: Mike Hausman Librarian/Event Manager: Maggie Wild Hospitality Leader/Liaison: Maribeth McKenna |
Founder & Past Director(s):Don Smith, FounderThe 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. |