Wyoming Spring Ring
May 15-16, 2025 – Casper, Wyoming
Join Us at Wyoming Spring Ring in 2026!
Have fun and learn at this 1 1/2 day handbell event with clinician, Brian Childers!
Featuring the “No Pain, No Gain” workshop with Brian Childers. 25 coordination exercises to hurt your brain and improve your ringing.
May 15-16, 2026
Ramkota Hotel
800 N Poplar
Casper WY
★ What is it?
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- It’s Wyoming’s state handbell festival, held annually in the Spring.
- A nationally-recognized clinician conducts the rehearsals and provides insights on musicianship and handbell techniques to take your ringing to the next level.
- The culmination of the festival is a free concert, open to the public.
★ Where is it?
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- The Spring Ring is held in Casper, Wyoming, usually at a hotel.
★ Who is it for?
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- The event is open to any handbell ringer who registers and can make the drive to the location!
- Area 11 includes the states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, and Utah, but there is no need to limit participation according to where you may be located.
★ What’s the schedule?
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- The festival starts Friday afternoon with a rehearsal that evening.
- Saturday continues with rehearsing through the day, and culminates into performing a free public concert.
★ What do I need to bring?
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- Your bells (orphan ringers can be squeezed in with another choir), 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!
★ What is the music?
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- The repertoire is listed in the registration form. Please order it well in advance so you will have time to practice and become familiar before the festival.
- The repertoire is listed in the registration form. Please order it well in advance so you will have time to practice and become familiar before the festival.
★ Set-up notes
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- Please do not arrive before the scheduled start time.
- Just have patience and know that we do our best to plan everything out in advance, but there are always adjustments that have to be made once everyone has arrived.
- There will be plenty of time allotted for setup. Please be courteous to others and to the use of the host facility.
★ Any tips for the directors?
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- If you have a school choir, be sure to get your bus/transportation scheduled to the event.
- Plan to bring some snacks – you can also order lunches on the registration form, or eat somewhere nearby for lunch.
- Please remind your choirs to use their best rehearsal etiquette and pay attention to the clinician!
★ Anything else?
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- Hydrate well throughout the day, do some stretching, be courteous to others, be attentive to the clinician, and most importantly… HAVE FUN!
Brian Childers
Brian Childers is an accomplished composer, conductor, and clinician. His choral, instrumental, and handbell works are performed throughout the world. He is in demand as a featured clinician at music conferences and festivals across the US. Brian’s compositions and arrangements are available through a variety of publishers.
Brian has earned degrees from Appalachian State University and the M. Christopher White School of Divinity at Gardner-Webb University. He has conducted church and community groups and served churches in the Southeast US, building vibrant programs for choirs, handbells and instrumentalists at each. He currently serves as Director of Handbells and Children and Youth Music at Myers Park United Methodist Church in Charlotte, NC where he oversees a comprehensive handbell ministry to children, youth, and adults. In the spring of 2024, he was named Artistic Director of the Charlotte Bronze Handbell Ensemble. Brian shares his insights into the role of music and worship through “Cued In,” a blog on sacred music in worship sponsored by JW Pepper.
Brian is married to Keely Childers, a professional counselor and has two adult children, Hannah and Spencer, both of whom served as drum majors in their respective High School and College marching bands. Brian is an avid runner and a rabid fan of the San Antonio Spurs. You can learn more about Brian, his compositions, handbell devotional book “Ringing Deeply” and children’s book, “Boo and His Amazing Bells” at BrianChilders.org.
SCHEDULE
Friday, May 15, 2026-5:00-6:30 p.m. – Arrival, registration and set–up of tables and bells. 6:30-9:00 p.m. – Rehearsal
Saturday, May 16
8:30-10:30 Mass Rehearsal
10:30-11:00 – Break
11:00-12:00 – Class Session – NO PAIN – NO GAIN – 25 coordination exercises to hurt your
brain and improve your ringing.
12:00-12:45 – Lunch
12:45-2:00 – Mass Rehearsal
2:30 Concert – There is no admission charge, but a free will offering will be accepted. Break times and lunch will be used for the rehearsal of solo pieces.
Ramkota Hotel
Ramkota Hotel & Convention Center, 800 N. Poplar
Rooms $93 + Fees (make your own room reservations)
Rondo Passacaglia by Cynthia Dobrinsky MHP1237 Level 3+
Celtic Farewell by Linda Lamb MAG35210 Level 3-
From Sorrow to Joy by Brian Childers MFM20598 Level 3
For the Beauty of the Earth by Brian Childers MFM20414HB Level 3
An Expression of Joy by John Behnke MAG35300 Level 2+
Joyfully Ring by Doug Benton – Area 11 Anthem
The concert will be May 16th at 2:30pm
There is no admission fee. There will be a free will offering.
Questions: Contact Carolyn Deuel, 307-267-8606