Massed Ringing Conductors
ROBIN BENTON
(Handbell Ringers of Great Britain) Robin Benton studied music at London University and has diplomas from two London music colleges.
During his career as a teacher, he ran a children’s handbell and handchime group for 20 years. He has won national composing competitions organized by the Handbell Ringers of Great Britain, and his music has been played at both regional and national ringing events.
He has enjoyed conducting his music at International Handbell Symposiums in Brisbane (2006) and Liverpool (2012) and is delighted to be conducting his “Celebration for Bells” at this year’s symposium.
Robin enjoys playing his trombone with Bath Community Big Band and is an active archer with the Bath Archery Club.
His handbell music is published both in the UK and USA, and full details can be found at his website, www.robinbenton.com.
LISA KYRIAKIDES
(Handbell Musicians of Canada) Lisa Kyriakides is an experienced conductor, educator, clinician, soloist, musical director, and adjudicator. She lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and 2 daughters. Lisa is the director of the Handbell program at Aurora United Church, which includes conducting two 4-octave choirs, Faith-A-Peal and Bellissimo and being a member of the EmBellished Handbell Quartet. Lisa has been a ringer in The Bronze Foundation, an auditioned community Handbell Ensemble, since 2015. Lisa has presented many Handbell workshops and video tutorials and has been a guest conductor at Ontario Handbell Festivals. She is the Vice-President of the Ontario Guild of English Handbell Ringers and the Secretary of the Handbell Guilds of Canada. Lisa is also an accomplished Soprano and has performed in operas and musicals including most recently as Miss Hannigan in Annie. Lisa taught music in the school systems in Ontario for 12 years and has conducted countless choirs of all sizes and ages. For the last 11 years she has been the conductor of the Ballantrae Adult Community Choir and more recently the Encore Choir in York Region. Lisa holds a Bachelor of Music (Music Education) and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Western Ontario as well as certificates in Voice, Piano, Theory, Counterpoint and History from the Royal Conservatory of Music.
EMILY LI
(Handbell Association of Hong Kong) Emily Li holds a Master Degree in music, major in composition. She started ringing in 1986 and has since developed an obsession with this instrument. She received her handbell training with renowned experts on performance, conducting and composition in the United States for many years, and completed the graduate handbell program at Concordia University, Wisconsin.
Having the mission to promote handbell ringing in HK, Emily founded the HK Handbell Academy in 2004 with aims to provide handbell resources and proper training for the young generations. She founded the Handbell Association of HK and organized the annual HK Handbell Festival since 2006. At present, she is the Artistic Director of the Academy, Chairperson of Handbell Association of HK, Director of the HK Youth Handbell Ensemble and the principal guest conductor for Ministry of Bellz in Singapore. Emily believes that a solid foundation is essential in handbell training of all ages. She particularly loves nurturing youngsters holistically through ringing. Her youth ensemble has performed around the world. She served as the clinician and massed ring conductor at the 15th, 16th & 17 th International Handbell Symposium in Liverpool, Korea and Vancouver, and the International Conductor for the Youth Festival in Cairns in 2018.
Emily is a published composer and handbell soloist. She performed as a handbell soloist at the National Seminar concert (Cincinnati, 2012) and served as the director of the HK Youth Handbell Ensemble at the Final Concert (Portland, 2013), director of the All Stars Choir (Atlanta, 2014) and Distinctly Teens (Grand Rapids, 2017).
DAMIEN LIM
(Handbell Ringers of Singapore) Trained in the Yamaha Electone & Concert Percussion, Damien is the Founder & Music Director of the award-winning MINISTRY OF BELLZ (MOB) from Singapore & Executive Director of the Handbell Ringers of Singapore (HRSG). Percussion & Handbells has led him to perform, teach & conduct in more than 20 countries, including USA, UK, Japan, Brunei, Australia, Canada, Egypt, Turkey, Ireland & France.
Damien advocates the importance of quality teaching/learning/performance & enjoyment in music-making in today’s 21st century handbell ringing. He is also a Fellow (FRSA) with the Royal Society of the Arts (UK) & a Fellow (FLCM) of the London College of Music (UK). In addition to the MOB, he directs the handbell teams at 6 high and junior schools & is consultant to 8 other school ensembles in Singapore. He also enjoys working with children with special needs, persons with disabilities and the elderly. More recently, Damien’s interest in online teaching and sound and technology, led him to research on the “Efficacy of Teaching Music Online: Pedagogy & Technology”. In addition to music, he spends his time on Producing Stage Shows & Online Live Streams. Damien enjoys travelling and eating, in addition to “musicking”.
A firm believer of self-directed learning & reflective practice, he contributes actively to the learning & enjoyment of music making in students/youths & in the development of handbell standards in Singapore. He constantly seeks to be “purposeful in pursuit of excellence in today’s 21st-century handbell ringing”.
To know more about him, please visit: www.damienlim.weebly.com
ALI O’CONNELL
(Handbell Society of Australasia) Ali O’Connell rang handbells throughout high school, which led her to the misapprehension that handbells were a popular and common instrument in Australia. In the subsequent decades, she has been dedicated to the continued sustainability of the art form, directing the handbell programs at St Andrew’s School and Pulteney Grammar School, and establishing and leading Synergy Handbell Ensemble and the South Australian Youth Handbell Ensemble. Ali is dedicated to excellence in music education and the transformative power that group music-making can bring to the life of everyone, but especially young people. She has been honored to be a conductor and clinician at national and international events, and for several years, to serve as an adjudicator at the Singapore Youth Festival Arts Presentation.
TOSHIKAZU YOSHIDA
(Handbell Ringers of Japan) Mr. Yoshida graduated with an orchestral conducting degree from the Toho Gakuen School of Music, Tokyo Japan. He studied piano under Shiki Sekiya as well as conducting under the late Shunsaku Tsutsumi and Kazue Kamiya.
He has been appointed as conductor for a number of professional orchestras and is one of the very rare handbell conductors with orchestral conducting background. From this experience, he has arranged/composed many handbell compositions transcribing from the original orchestra scores and are published in both Japan and the US. In 1992, he conducted the Kinjo Gakuin University Handbell Choir, premiering his arrangement for handbells of P. Tchaikovsky’s ‘Valse des Fleurs’ at the 5th International Handbell Symposium at Edmonton, Canada.
He has been the conductor for the Kinjo Gakuin University Handbell Choir, the first university handbell choir in Japan, since 1987. He also conducts his handbell choir, PRIME, and is music director/conductor for the Nagoya City University Alumni Symphony Orchestra, Meijyo University Orchestra, and the Kinjo Gakuin University Orchestra.
JEONG-SOON PARK
(Korean Handbell Association) Jeong-soon Park currently serves as the vice president of the Korea Handbell Association and as a lecturer in the association and holds Master’s degree in performing arts and opera conducting. She is a conductor for the Solideo Elder’s Choirchime Choir and for the Agape Handbell Choir. She teaches handbells in elementary, middle, and high schools, and is a handbell instructor at Jeju Multicultural Arts School.
She served as a conductor for handbell choirs at Presbyterian and Methodist churches, and currently teaches at Jangseok Church.
She conducted massed ringing at 2012 International Handbell Symposium in Liverpool, UK, and served as the Preparations Committee Chairman for the 16th International Handbell Symposium in Jeju, South Korea.
Through many performances at regular concerts, schools, hospitals, social welfare facilities, churches, she workes tirelessly for the continuous growth of the Korea Handbell Association and for a strong future of Handbell music.
WILLIAM A. PAYN
(Handbell Musicians of America) As music director and conductor of Pennsylvania’s Susquehanna Valley Chorale for over twenty years, one of Bill Payn’s major contributions to the Susquehanna Valley has been consistent quality performances enriched by a balance of traditional classical music with innovative new choral/orchestral works.
He has “raised the bar” for introducing inventive and unique programming with a vision to inspire and engage audiences of all ages.
With over 50 compositions to his credit, Payn’s choral and handbell works represent distinctive, original music performed regularly through-out the world in major church and concert venues.
In 2016 he retired as former chair of the music department, professor of music, and director of choral studies at Bucknell University where he led his choirs to international recognition. His Emmy-nominated Bucknell Candlelight Christmas production continues to be aired every holiday season on public television through-out the U.S.
In addition to his many professional accomplishments, awards and recognitions, Payn is often the guest festival conductor, headliner and clinician at hundreds of events throughout the world. Musicians and former students (who affectionately call him “DP”) refer to his “clear, concise conducting – easy and free in motion and conveying beauty of musical phrase coupled with a caring attitude for each person and an insistence on the very best participation – never accepting second best.”
He has recently been invited by The Handbell Musicians of America to serve as one of two American conductors at the 2022 International Symposium in Nashville. He has also accepted an invitation to conduct the College Ring-In for the opening ceremonies at the symposium.
Payn conducts many prestigious advanced ringing events including Virtuoso (sponsored by the Raleigh Ringers), Distinctly Bronze East, Distinctly Bronze West, Synergy and Classic Bronze (Canada). His Conducting Masterclasses have consistently filled to full capacity, giving conductors a rigorous four days of feed back regarding technical and musical issues having to do with gesture, verbal communication and connection.
Payn received a bachelor’s degree in church music/organ from Westminster Choir College and master’s and doctorate in organ and harpsichord from West Virginia University. In 2016, Bucknell University (through the generosity of Robert and Natalie Rooke) honored him with the William A. Payn scholarship, an endowment fund that annually provides full tuition to a talented and promising incoming music student. He also was presented recently with the Elaine Brown Award for Choral Excellence by the American Choral Directors Association for outstanding lifelong work in the choral arts.
Bill and his wife, Ruth, enjoy visiting their children and 11 grandchildren, world traveling and relaxing in the quiet countryside on their organic farm (Walnut Acres) along Penn’s Creek in rural Central Pennsylvania.
STEPHANIE RHOADES
(Handbell Musicians of America) Stephanie Rhoades is Conductor and Artistic Director of Concert Bells of Fort Worth, an auditioned community ensemble established in 1998. She is also Coordinator of Music and Worship and Handbell Director at Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church in Dallas, Texas.
With a reputation as an effective and engaging teacher, she has been a clinician and guest director for numerous workshops and festivals across the US. She recently conducted two events for Handbell Musicians of America: the All-Star choir at National Seminar in 2018 and Distinctly Bronze East in 2020. She has been Chair or President of several local and national organizations and recently served for six years as a Member-At-Large on the National Board of Handbell Musicians of America.
She holds a BA degree in music from Yale University and a Master of Sacred Music degree from Southern Methodist University’s Perkins School of Theology. She is a certified personal trainer and enjoys cycling, training for triathlons, and scuba diving.
