Past Performances

The Raleigh Ringers has performed in 39 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, England, and France.

NORTH CAROLINA Alamance, Albemarle, Apex, Asheboro, Asheville, Belmont, Boone, Brevard, Cary, Chapel Hill, Charlotte, Clayton, Columbus, Concord, Cornelius, Cullowhee, Durham, Eden, Elizabeth City, Elizabethtown, Erwin, Fayetteville, Fletcher, Franklin, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Gastonia, Goldsboro, Greensboro, Greenville, Hamlet, Henderson, Hendersonville, Hickory, High Point, Holden Beach, Jamestown, Kings Mountain, Kinston, Knightdale, Lake Junaluska, Laurinburg, Lenoir, Lexington, Lincolnton, Louisburg, Lumberton, Mocksville, Mooresville, Morganton, Nashville, New Bern, Newport, Oxford, Pikeville, Pinehurst, Raleigh, Ramseur, Reidsville, Research Triangle Park, Rockingham, Rocky Mount, Roxboro, Rutherfordton, Salisbury, Selma, Shallotte, Southern Pines, Spindale, Statesville, Sunset Beach, Tarboro, Thomasville, Tryon, Wake Forest, Washington, Waynesville, Wendell, West Jefferson, Wilmington, Wilson, Wingate, Winston-Salem

ALABAMA Huntsville

ARIZONA Scottsdale, Sun City

ARKANSAS Little Rock, Newport

CALIFORNIA Garden Grove, Lafayette, Modesto, Sacramento, San Diego, Santa Monica

CONNECTICUT Avon, Wethersfield

DELAWARE Rehobth Beach, Seaford, Wilmington

FLORIDA Bonita Springs, Casselberry, Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Gainesville, Lake City, Lakeland, Melbourne, Naples, Palm Beach, Palm Coast, Palm Harbor, Sarasota, Tampa, Vero Beach, Weston

GEORGIA Augusta, Athens, Atlanta, Dublin, Dunwoody, Gainesville, Griffin, LaGrange, Macon, Marietta, Milledgeville, Mt. Vernon, Peachtree City, Roswell, Savannah, Statesboro, Waycross

ILLINOIS Aurora, Barrington, Chillicothe, Springfield

INDIANA Floyds Knobs, Greencastle, Indianapolis, South Bend, Terre Haute

IOWA Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Des Moines, Muscatine, Pella

KANSAS Atchison, Junction City, Pittsburg, Shawnee, Topeka, Wichita

KENTUCKY Lexington, Louisville, Madisonville

LOUISIANA Calhoun, New Orleans, Shreveport

MAINE Ocean Park

MARYLAND Bethesda, Brooklyn Park, Ellicott City, Frederick, Great Mills, Hagerstown, Joppa, McHenry, Oakland

MASSACHUSETTS Amherst, Dalton, Melrose, Springfield

MICHIGAN Grand Rapids, Grandville, Livonia, Rochester

MINNESOTA Rochester, St. Paul

MISSISSIPPI Gulfport, Meridian

MISSOURI Cameron, Kansas City, Manchester

NEBRASKA Beatrice, Lincoln

NEVADA Las Vegas

NEW HAMPSHIRE Durham

NEW JERSEY East Brunswick, Morris Plains, Oradell, Paramus, Princeton, Ridgewood

NEW YORK Chautauqua, Greene, Honeoye Falls, Jamestown, Lima, Walton

OHIO Canton, Centerville, Cleveland, Columbus, Cuyahoga Falls, Euclid, Greenville, Lakeside, Wapakoneta, Worthington, Youngstown, Zanesville

OKLAHOMA Ardmore, Owasso, Tulsa

OREGON Medford, Portland

PENNSYLVANIA Bethlehem, Bryn Mawr, Carlisle, Chambersburg, Elizabethtown, Glenshaw, Harrisburg, Hershey, Kutztown, Lock Haven,  Morrisville, Mt. Gretna, Orefield, Pittsburgh, Reading, Scranton, Shippensburg, Sinking Spring, State College, Williamsport

RHODE ISLAND Newport

SOUTH CAROLINA Aiken, Bennettsville, Charleston, Clemson, Columbia, Conway, Easley, Florence, Gaffney, Greenville, Mt. Pleasant, Myrtle Beach, Newberry, Rock Hill, Spartanburg, Summerville, West Columbia

TENNESSEE Bristol, Cookeville, Greeneville, Johnson City, Knoxville, Loudon, Madisonville, Memphis, Morristown, Murfreesboro, Nashville

TEXAS Addison, Arlington, Austin, Conroe, Dallas, Houston, Plano, Southlake

VERMONT Lyndon Center

VIRGINIA Annandale, Blackstone, Bristol, Charlottesville, Clarksville, Courtland, Covington, Danville, Fredericksburg, Gloucester, Hampton, Harrisonburg, Heathsville, Herndon, Kilmarnock, Lynchburg, Manassas, Marion, Martinsville, Mathews, Midlothian, Newport News, Petersburg, Portsmouth, Powhatan, Richmond, Roanoke, South Hill, Staunton, Stuarts Draft, Virginia Beach, Williamsburg, Winchester, West Point

WASHINGTON DC

WEST VIRGINIA Charleston, Clarksburg, Dunbar, Huntington, Moundsville, Parkersburg

WISCONSIN Pewaukee

FRANCE The American Church in Paris, Paris; Eglise de la Saint-Trinité, Paris; Cathédrale Notre-Dame, Chartres; Église Saint-Rémi, Marines; Église Saint-Antoine, Compiègne

CANADA Metropolitan Methodist Church, Ontario

ENGLAND LSO St. Luke’s, London; Harlequin Theatre, Redhill, Surrey

Performance Highlights


Performance Collaborations

  • 2022 – Manassas Symphony Orchestra: Members of the Manassas Symphony Orchestra joined with The Raleigh Ringers to perform "Lux Aeterna" written by William Payn and Matthew Compton.
  • 2019 – Hart Morris: The group's holiday concert featured an appearance by Hart Morris. Hart performed percussion on several songs and directed one of his own arrangements.
  • 2015 – 25th Anniversary: The Raleigh Ringers celebrated its 25th anniversary by inviting past ringers to perform in an alumni choir at Meymandi Concert Hall during the holiday concerts.
  • 2014 – Virginia Symphony: At the Virginia Symphony holiday concerts, The Raleigh Ringers performed a few of our holiday favorites and collaborated with the Virginia Symphony on two pieces.
  • 2013 – Greg Fishel: Greg Fishel, formerly the chief meteorologist at WRAL-TV. One of his hobbies is playing the tuba.
  • 2011 – Raleigh Civic Symphony & Chamber Orchestra: Based at NC State University, the Raleigh Civic Symphony and Chamber Orchestra combine student and community musicians with professional leaders and innovative programming in what has been called “a class act” and “bright lights on the music scene in Raleigh.” Sponsored by NC State University and the Raleigh Civic Symphony Association (a non-profit group), the orchestras have gained recognition and stature under the leadership of Music Director Dr. Randolph Foy.
  • 2009 – Sanderson High School "Sandpipers": The Sandpipers of Jesse O. Sanderson High School Vocal Music Department is an auditioned mixed ensemble made up of upper-class students. During the highly competitive auditions, students must prove that they are extremely proficient in sight-reading music. The Sandpipers' studies include music on the high school as well as college level.
  • 2008 – Madisonville Community College (MCC) Singers: The MCC Singers performed "Sing We Now of Christmas" with The Raleigh Ringers.
  • 2007 – Dean Shostak: In 1991, Dean became involved in the revival of the rare and beautiful glass armonica, invented by Benjamin Franklin in 1761. Today, there are only eight glass armonica players in the world. Dean is credited with bringing the lost art of playing the glass armonica back to Williamsburg, where it was performed on many occasions over 200 years ago. Instead of using an electric motor to spin the glasses, Dean is the only glass armonica player since the 18th century to use a flywheel and foot treadle as Franklin originally designed. He has now incorporated spectacular new and antique glass instruments into his show that include the glass violin and crystal handbells.  The Raleigh Ringers recorded a piece playing handbells with Dean & his Glass Armonica and it appears on the album "World Glass".
  • 2005 – Carolina Brass: As a national touring ensemble and Summit Recording Artist, Carolina Brass has quickly become the premiere brass ensemble of the southeast, raising the bar for music performance and education in America.  From the elegance and grace of beautiful classical music to the hard driving sound of a big band, Carolina Brass will sweep you off your feet and leave a smile on your face. Their winning combination of virtuosity and humor brings a fresh approach to great music of all types, engaging audiences in a vibrant and energetic musical experience.
  • 2003 – Steve Hobbs: Steve Hobbs' career began at age 7 playing hand drums....at 17, he switched to vibes.  Steve attended Berklee College of Music, where he received his Bachelor of Music in Percussion Performance in 1978. He continued his education by receiving a Master of Music in Jazz Mallet Performance in 1982 from the University of Miami.  Throughout the years, Steve Hobbs has performed concerts and in jazz clubs in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. He has been a headliner at many Jazz festivals

Handbell Musicians of America

  • Headline Concert, Pinnacle 2010, Nashville, Tennessee
  • Headline Concert, Pinnacle 2004, Dallas, Texas
  • Featured Performer, Pinnacle 2000, Las Vegas, Nevada
  • Directors' Seminar Showcase Concert, Springfield, Massachusetts
  • Directors' Seminar Showcase Concert, Greenville, South Carolina
  • Directors' Seminar Showcase Concert, Dallas, Texas
  • Area I - Amherst, Massachusetts; Durham, New Hampshire
  • Area II - Williamsport, Pennsylvania; Kutztown, Pennsylvania; Scranton, Pennsylvania
  • Area III - Virginia Beach, Virginia; Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Harrisonburg, Virginia
  • Area IV - Charleston, South Carolina; Tampa, Florida
  • Area V - Greencastle, Indiana; Cleveland, Ohio
  • Area VI - New Orleans, Louisiana
  • Area VII  - Rochester, Minnesota
  • Area VIII  - Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Topeka, Kansas
  • Area IX - Arlington, Texas; Ardmore, Oklahoma
  • Area X - Portland, Oregon
  • National Festival - Greensboro, North Carolina

Ontario Guild of English Handbell Ringers (OGEHR)

  • London, Ontario, Canada

France concert locations

  • The American Church in Paris
  • Église de la Saint-Trinité, Paris
  • Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres
  • Église Saint-Rémi, Marines
  • Église Saint-Antoine de Compiègne

England concert locations

  • Harlequin Theatre, Redhill, United Kingdom
  • LSO St. Luke's, London, United Kingdom

About Us

Upcoming concerts

Nov
14
Carrollton, GA
Carrollton Center for the Arts
Nov
15
Tallahassee, FL
St. Peter’s Anglican Cathedral
Nov
16
Gainesville, FL
First United Methodist Church – Gainesville
Nov
17
Palm Harbor, FL
Palm Harbor United Methodist Church
Nov
18
Melbourne, FL
Suntree United Methodist Church

Audience Comments

"The music was beautiful, the entertainment hilarious, and the whole experience was wonderfully worthwhile. We loved it so much we tried to get a flight changed to come hear your concert again!"

- Anonymous Fan

“What skill and diversity of music! I could have listened another three hours! Thank you for the inspiration and entertainment!”

- Anonymous Fan

“I never would have thought I'd want to go to a handbell concert, but when I heard handbell rock ’n’ roll on the radio, I told my friends, ‘We're going!’ And it was just great.”

- Anonymous Fan

"The Raleigh Ringers are the best handbell ensemble on the globe!!!!”

Greg Pysh
Minister of Music and Composer
Midland, Texas

“Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!! They never cease to amaze me. Their playing is so musical, their technique impeccable.”

Cordetta Valthauser
Handbell Soloist
Cleveland Area, Ohio

"Thank you all for being ambassadors of superb musicianship, amazing technique, and sharing the joy of doing something you love, which is contagious.”

Carolann Haley
Assistant to Director of Music Ministries
National Presbyterian Church, Washington, D.C.

“The Raleigh Ringers are truly a wonderful instrument. It is a joy to watch how precisely they respond to director David Harris' musical goals, and how audiences respond as well. This group has definitely attained 'handbell superstar' status.”

Jason Tiller
Sonos Handbell Ensemble
San Francisco, CA

“The best part was, in spite of all the amazing things that they can do with bells – the bass ringer assignments, flawless technique, and all of those kind of things – the best part was that it was musical. I simply enjoyed the music.”

Dean Wagner
Associate Director of Music and Organist
First United Methodist Church of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio

“...I did not know how good 'good' is in bell ringing until I heard you. It was simply superb, and you must have known that from the unusually enthusiastic response from the audience.”

Ross MacKenzie
Chautauqua Institution
Chautauqua, New York