Concert Bells of Fort Worth is an auditioned community handbell ensemble of advanced ringers from the North Texas area. We are dedicated to musical excellence through artistic handbell performance.
This page includes "What People Are Saying" as well as Conductor and Ringer Biographies. Highlights of our history can be found here.
Beautiful control of dynamics. At every tempo, ringers' motions were synchronized and mastery of the instrument was obvious...
marvelous conservation of motion.
CBFW is the ‘total package’: they have that elusive balance of technique and musicianship; they communicate with the audience; they do educational outreach; they gather a broad base of support, then keep proving themselves worthy of it.
Bravi.”
Martin Morley
Handbell Clinician and Conductor
Past Chair, AGEHR Area IX
Stephanie Rhoades, CBFW Conductor, is Director of Children’s Music at Grace Presbyterian Church in Plano where she directs children’s and middle school handbell choirs, a children’s vocal choir, and supervises a graded children’s choir program. She previously served as Director of Music Ministries at FUMC, Coppell, overseeing and directing a variety of music ministries. She served for a year at Choristers Guild as Interim Copyright and Publications Administrator.
Ms. Rhoades earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in music from Yale University and Master of Sacred Music degree from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. The daughter of two musicians, she began playing violin and trumpet at a young age, has been active in handbell ringing for over twenty years (including solo/ensemble ringing), was a member of the Dallas Handbell Ensemble, and Interim Director of Concert Bells of Forth Worth (Christmas 2000). Her experience includes directing children’s, youth, and adult handbell choirs, and she is currently the Chair of the Area IX Board of the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers and President of the Dallas Chapter of Choristers Guild. During the last five years she has served as President of the Greater Dallas Handbell Association, Secretary of the Dallas Chapter of Choristers Guild and a local clinician in handbells and children’s music.
Pam Adams has been ringing handbells since 1989 at First United Methodist Church - Richardson, where she remained an active ringer until the spring of 2007. While pursuing her BBA in Marketing at Baylor University, she rang with the Baylor University Handbell Ensemble under the direction of Debra Jackson. She is currently the Publications Chair of Area IX, and rings and subs in several ensembles across the metroplex. Pam is employed for a jewelry manufacturer/wholesaler as an Account Specialist. She and her family reside in Mesquite.
Linda Anderson began ringing handbells in 1980 at Orchard Lake Presbyterian Church in Orchard Lake, Michigan. While ringing handbells at her church she also was a member of a community handbell group. After moving to Texas in 1989 she began ringing with the Chancel Bells at Arlington Presbyterian Church under the direction of Beth Watson. Linda studied music at Northwestern University and has been involved in many music programs in Michigan and the Dallas/Fort Worth area. She now rings with the Chancel Bells at First United Methodist Church in Mansfield under the direction of Dr. Scott Ferrell and is involved with the many music programs at the church. While enjoying retirement from Manpower Inc., Linda lives with her husband and Springer Spaniel, Sassy, in Mansfield. Her extended family includes three children and six grandchildren.
Kari Daelke is a graduate of Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, Indiana and began ringing handbells in 1980 when her sorority big sis suggested she come to the first rehearsal of a new beginner handbell group she was directing. Who knew it would develop into a lifelong passion for ringing that has included concert tours, ringing in church and advanced community groups, attending many area, national and international ringing events such as Loire Valley Handbell Festival in France, Distinctly Bronze (2004, 2005, 2007)and the Inaugural UK Bronze 2006 in England. She is also a member of King of Glory Lutheran Church in Dallas where is rings and helps selects and coordinate repertoire for the adult handbell choir. Professionally, she is a full time as a graphic artist / pre-press manager at Rapid Reprographics in Dallas.
Elizabeth Garvin has been ringing handbells for over sixteen years. Of these sixteen years, three of them were spent ringing Monday through Friday in an advanced handbell choir class at Alief Elsik High School with director Molly Ness. Elizabeth’s strong passion for music and bells, along with her love of children, has led her to follow her dream of teaching a children's handbell choir. She is currently directing a vibrant youth handbell choir at First United Methodist Church in Richardson. Since graduating from Texas A & M University, Elizabeth is enjoying being a newlywed in her new home in Lewisville with her husband, Dan Garvin, and his daughter, Danielle.
Jean Harden, charter member and treasurer of CBFW, started to ring handbells in 1994 at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, Denton, Texas, and is now Director of Adult Handbells there. She has taught at regional and national AGEHR conventions and serves on the Board of Area IX. A music librarian by profession, Jean has also been active as a musicologist and has taught musicology, music history, music bibliography, and music librarianship at the university level. She received degrees in music and librarianship from Emory, Cornell, and Syracuse Universities and is a published author of articles about music. She moved to Denton to take her current job as a music librarian at the University of North Texas.
Qunida Hatfield received her Bachelor of Music degree from Oklahoma State University. She began ringing handbells in 1981 and within a few weeks became the director. After almost 15 years as Director of Music organist/handbell director at St. Philip Presbyterian Church in Hurst, she retired. Her career in church music has spanned over 35 years. She is looking forward to playing with her grandchildren and seeing where the Spirit leads.
Cathy Herring is a graduate of the University of North Carolina with a Bachelor of Music Education. Originally a violinist, Cathy has been ringing handbells for twenty-one years at First United Methodist Church of Richardson. She and her husband, Bill, have three grown children and several elderly cats. When she's not playing bells, Cathy tutors math and travels with her husband.
Nancy Jarrett has been ringing handbells for over 15 years. In 2005 she became the Associate Director of Music at the First United Methodist Church of Coppell where she directs three handbell choirs and the church wind ensemble. She is a graduate of UNT with a Bachelor of Music (Summa Cum Laude) and Master of Music in Horn Performance. She is an active freelance musician and has performed with many metroplex ensembles including the Dallas Wind Symphony, Richardson Symphony, Las Colinas/Garland Symphony, Orchestra of New Spain, Abilene Philharmonic, San Angelo Symphony, Lone Star Wind Orchestra, as well as numerous musical theatre productions. Nancy also maintains a studio of about 40 horn students in Coppell ISD.
Sueda Luttrell is a native of Lufkin, Texas, and received the Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in Organ Performance from Baylor University. She is currently Organist/Music Associate at University Baptist Church in Fort Worth, where she coordinates a graded handbell ministry for 4th graders through adults. Sueda held the position of Georgia State Chair for AGEHR Area IV from 2000-2004 and serves as a clinician and solo performer for local and national handbell events. She is a published composer/arranger of bell solos and presented the featured solo concert at the national AGEHR 50th anniversary celebration in 2004. Sueda resides in Ft. Worth with her husband, Jeff, and two daughters, Meredith and Grace.
Valerie Martin is a member of the First United Methodist Church Bell Choir in Grapevine. She is on the faculty in the Radiologic Technology Program at Brookhaven College. She has played handbells for 18 years, and also plays Piano and French Horn. Valerie has two children who play Piano and Violin – a son, Taylor, who is thirteen, and a daughter, Madison, who is eight.
Carol Lynn Mizell is a Band Director at Strickland MS in Denton, the Conductor of the Denton Community Band (since 1978), and is Handbell Director at First United Methodist Church, Denton. She served as Co-conductor of Concert Bells of Fort Worth for two years. She holds B.M.E. & M.M.E. degrees (plus extensive post-graduate work) from the University of North Texas. Carol Lynn is an active Conductor and Clinician for area and regional handbell events. She is a published composer, and holds membership in Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, American Guild of English Handbell Ringers, and Sigma Alpha Iota. Carol Lynn and her husband, Bob, have two daughters, Michelle Mizell Corazao and Jennifer Mizell, and son-in-law Marc Corazao.
Kathleen Parsons lives in Richardson, where she is active in the music program at the First United Methodist Church. She rings in an Adult handbell choir, coordinates the Children’s and Youth Bell Choir Program, directs the Joyful Noise K-1 Children’s Choir and serves as the back-up accompanist for the Children’s Choirs. Kathleen sings in and serves as the warm-up pianist for the Chancel Choir. She plays the violin as a soloist with the Chancel Choir and in the church orchestra. Kathleen rings in the Brookhaven College Handbell Ensemble, has served on the Greater Dallas Handbell Association board, and teaches piano lessons. She has a degree in Music Education from Southern Methodist University. Kathleen and her husband, Terry, a Psychotherapist in Dallas, have a daughter, Laura, a son, Adam, and a grandson, Wyatt.
Karen Thompson has a Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree with a music major from Austin College of Sherman, Texas and is currently serving at First Presbyterian Church, Fort Worth where her duties include conducting four handbell ensembles. She is the present and founding President of Concert Bells of Fort Worth, and served as Co-conductor of the ensemble for two years. An active conductor and clinician, Karen is frequently called upon to conduct and teach at regional and national events. Additionally, Karen has served on the Area IX Board of the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers and chaired the AGEHR National Seminar in Dallas last July.
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