Utah Spring Ring

Saturday, March 9, 2024

Join Us at Utah Spring Ring 2024!

Our one day festival welcomes Stephanie Rhodes as our clinician for this mass ringing event! This year we return to Lehi Junior High School.

700 Cedar Hollow Rd, Lehi, UT 84043 Map

Register

★ What is it?

    • It’s Utah’s state handbell festival, held annually on the second Saturday in March.
    • 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 at 5 pm, open to the public.

★ Where is it?

    • The Spring Ring is always held in a high school gymnasium in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. Smaller venues cannot accommodate the 250+ ringers and we try to rotate the locations between north and south schools to accommodate as many participants as possible.

★ Who is it for?

    • 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?

    • There is a dinner Friday night before the event for the registered handbell choir directors. The purpose of the dinner is for the directors to meet the festival clinician in an intimate and relaxed setting, and is open to any local directors, significant others, or other ringers with a strong interest in supporting the Area 11 handbell events.
    • The festival itself starts Saturday morning with breakfast, rehearsing through the day, and culminates into performing a free public concert.

★ What do I need to bring?

    • Your bells (orphan ringers can be squeezed in with another choir), gloves, mallets, tables with baby socks to cover the feet, 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?

    • 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

    • Please do not arrive before the doors to the gym are actually open.
    • 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 and eating breakfast. Please be courteous to others and to the use of the host school.

★ Any tips for the directors?

    • 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.
    • There is a directors’ meeting during the afternoon, so we can talk about future events and get to know each other.
    • You will have plenty of downtime during the day.
    • Please remind your choirs to use their best rehearsal etiquette and pay attention to the clinician!

★ Anything else?

    • Hydrate well throughout the day, do some stretching, be courteous to others, be attentive to the clinician, and most importantly… HAVE FUN!

Registration Form

Registration Fees

$20 per ringer for Members of the Handbell Musicians of America and their affiliated members.

$30 per ringer for non-members.

 Not a member? Join here .

When you complete the registration form, it will be sent to the Utah Spring Ring Event Chair, Andrew Smith. 

If you would like to pay by credit card, click here:  Pay with PayPal 

Enter the Grand Total into the PayPal. PAYMENT ALONE DOES NOT MEAN YOU’RE REGISTERED!  Don’t forget to submit the form and your payment.  

You may also send your registration fees to: (check payable to  Area 11)

Andrew Smith

Registration Deadline is February 25, 2024. All fees must be received by this date to ensure a spot!

Stephanie Rhodes

Stephanie Rhoades is Director of Worship and Music at Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church in Dallas, Texas. In addition to her responsibilities coordinating worship and overseeing the music ministry, she directs the Sanctuary Ringers adult handbell choir. Ms. Rhoades is also the Conductor and Artistic Director of Concert Bells of Fort Worth, an auditioned community handbell ensemble that will celebrate 25 years this fall.

Known for her clear and expressive conducting, she has been in demand as a guest conductor for numerous festivals across the US. Ms. Rhoades and Dr. Bill Payn were selected to represent Handbell Musicians of America as co-conductors for the International Handbell Symposium in
2022. Her 40+ years as a ringer and 25+ years as a conductor have helped her become an effective and engaging teacher, whether leading workshops, classes or rehearsals.

In addition to her work as a conductor and clinician, she has served on numerous local and national boards, including the Greater Dallas Handbell Association, Dallas Chapter of Choristers Guild, Handbell Musicians of America National Board and Area 9 of Handbell Musicians of America, currently serving as Chair-Elect.

Ms. Rhoades holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in music from Yale University and a Master of Sacred Music degree from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. She is also a Certified Personal Trainer and enjoys trying new vegan restaurants, cycling, and scuba
diving.

Set-Up: 8:00 am
Rehearsal: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm, with various breaks.
Concert: 5:00 pm

Repertoire:

The concert will begin at 5:00pm.

A maximum of 6 individual choir solos will be allowed. This is on a first come, first serve basis.

All details regarding the piece will need to be communicated no later than February 25, 2024. [email protected]

 

Questions: Contact Event Chair, [email protected]