Arizona Spring Ring

Alex Guebert

Alex Guebert is a composer, arranger, clinician, percussionist, and organist, and is the Director of Worship and Music at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Orange, CA. He directs three advanced-level handbell groups: Cathedral Bells (at St. John’s), Concert Handbells at Concordia University Irvine (as an adjunct faculty there), and Zenith (a summer-only 32-person ensemble made up of ringers from all around the world; co-directed by Matthew Compton.)

Alex’s award-winning handbell compositions and arrangements have been published and performed nationwide and overseas.  His compositional style is a result of his background as a percussionist, his love of film and video game score, and his desire to broaden the horizons of handbell repertoire. Alex holds an M.M. in Music Composition from Cal State Long Beach, where his graduate recital featured a 25-minute work for handbells, strings, and percussion.

Erik Der

Erik Der is a lifelong handbell musician who loves the instrument for its emphasis on ensemble, movement, and rich sonic textures. He is an active director, ringer, and clinician in Orange County and Los Angeles, CA, and has experience directing a variety of age groups (middle school, high school, college, adult). He is currently the director of handbell activities at Concordia University Irvine in California where he directs the Spirit Bells ensemble, teaches handbell pedagogy and directing, instructs private lessons, manages national tours, and runs the annual handbell invitationals and festivals in partnership with his colleague Alex Guebert. 

He additionally serves on the Area 12 board for Handbell Musicians of America, directs handbells at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Orange, performs with the Cathedral Bells of St. John’s Lutheran in Orange, and is an active clinician for HMA including directing the 2024 Distinctly Teen ensemble at National Seminar. Outside of handbells, he is the Community Engagement Manager for the Arts at Concordia and leads Vox Obscura, a professional choir based out of Southern California. 

8:15am Check in and set up
9:00am Rehearsal starts
10:30am Break
10:45am Rehearsal
12:15pm Lunch
1:00pm Rehearsal
2:15pm Break
2:30pm Rehearsal
3:45pm Set up for concert
4:00pm Concert – A free will offering will be taken to benefit Area 11 and Arizona Spring Ring!

Please come with your music rehearsed and ready to ring.  It can be purchased from Jeffers, or distributor of your choice.  Pieces are listed below with corresponding order information.  

Choirs need to bring all their own equipment. Bells and pads will be provided for individual ringers.  Bring your own folders, mallets, stands and sunshine cloths.  Gloves MUST be worn if using borrowed equipment.  

Tables will be provided for all.

Adult Repertoire (6 Pieces)

Area 11 Anthem

 Order from Jeffers or JWPepper

Youth Repertoire (4 Pieces)

 What do I need to bring?

Your bells, gloves, mallets, pads, and music stands.
Wear whatever you are comfortable in for the rehearsals, but bring your concert attire for the Saturday evening concert.
Your Spring Ring music – no photocopies are allowed!

To finalize your registration, please send check or submit payment to PayPal.

Checks payable to “Area XI American Guild of English Handbell Ringers” or “Area XI AGEHR” and mailed to:

Lynne Storms

Address can be found on the Registration Form.

 Both the registration form and payment are needed to complete your registration.

Checks need to be sent at least 1 week before the event.

Questions? Please Contact:

Lynne Storms: [email protected]

Anne Kelley: [email protected]