The 18th Annual Austin Area Handbell Ring-Out will be held Saturday, March 29 at Riverland Community College in Austin.

There will be a concert open to the public at 4 p.m. March 29 in the college gym. Tickets are $5 and will be available at the door.

Children 12 and under are admitted free when with an adult.

The event attracts handbell choirs from throughout the area. The American Guild of English Handbell Ringers endorses the concert, meaning it meets the criteria for national recognition.

Currently there are 14 choirs registered coming from LaCrosse, Wis.; Eagan, Northfield, Austin, Rochester, Minneapolis, Rosemount, and Belle Plaine in Minnesota; and Sioux Falls, S.D.

The choirs participating from Austin include Resound! from Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Spirit Ringers from Westminster Presbyterian and Ecumenical Bells.

The day is spent in rehearsal with guest director Bill Alexander from Duluth. Alexander has been director of handbells at First United Methodist Church in Duluth for the past 23 years.

His program there includes ringers of all ages and ability levels in seven choirs including Strikepoint, an ensemble which has toured extensively throughout Hawaii, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong, England, Scotland, Wales and most regions of the continental United States.

In his non-handbell life, Alexander is a band director for Duluth's Marshall School, an independent college preparatory school where his bands consistently earn praise and superior ratings for their musicianship, energy, and professionalism.

He is a former officer of AGEHR (American Guild of English Handbell Ringers) and an internationally known handbell clinician and conductor with a reputation for musicality and fun.

All participants also have the opportunity to attend one of three classes offered to enhance their ringing skills.

Guest instructors are Joanne Kerns teaching 4-in-Hand; Tom L'Heureux teaching Bell Maintenance and Repair and Ann Flisrand teaching Improving Your Sight Reading/Basic Techniques.

The event originated when the Austin handbell choirs got together for an afternoon of ringing and a concert which would allow the ringers to hear other groups ring.

At the urging of that first audience and the ringers, it has become an on-going event that has reached out to other choirs in the area.

Sandy Detwiler and Flisrand have served on the planning committee this year.

According to the pair, while larger cities enjoy handbell choirs, it is unusual that so many ringers entertain locally in choirs and bringing them all together for a concert is a truly unique musical event in Austin.

Lee Bonorden can be reached at 434-2232 or by e-mail at :mailto:lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com