WHO WE ARE:

Bells of the Cascades, Inc. is a nonprofit community handbell choir from the greater Portland area in Oregon. From its beginning in 1990, Bells of the Cascades' (BOC) mission has been to promote the art of handbell ringing through performance and education. To that end, BOC has dedicated itself to providing workshop opportunities for handbell ringers and directors. Concerts are often connected with workshops, or given separately in locations throughout Oregon and Washington. In addition, every other year, BOC holds its workshops on cruise ships. BOC has taken many such cruises and the next bell cruise is scheduled to sail for the Southern Caribbean in January 2013.

BOC was originally organized in 1990 by a group of directors and advanced ringers seeking to share their love of handbells and a more challenging ringing experience. Richard Coulter was invited to direct, ringers auditioned, a non-profit corporation was formed, and the choir was off and running. Pioneers in the community bell choir movement, BOC has performed as a featured choir at the 1993 AGEHR Western National Conference, the 1997 Directors' Seminar in Spokane, and several Area X Conferences, including a featured concert in 2006. BOC has performed with David York Ensemble, Novum Chamber Singers, Masterworks Choral Ensemble, and Portland's Singing Christmas Tree.  BOC also performs at community events throughout Western Oregon and Southern Washington.

As the group continued to develop a reputation as a top performing choir, it quickly began to promote the the art of handbell ringing through teaching workshops and conducting music reading sessions for local ringers. In 1993 BOC organized its first Handbell Cruise, a floating workshop aboard Holland America's ms Westerdam, which sailed through Alaska's Inside Passage. Since then BOC has cruised the Eastern and Western Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, and returned to Alaska, enjoying the company of ringers from all over North America and Australia.

In the fall of 1997, Nancy Hascall was named musical director of BOC following Dick Coulter's retirement.   She retired after the Spring season of 2011.  Under the direction of Kris Sparks, interim director, BOC is currently in the process of looking for a new director.

In 2005, BOC released their first full-length CD, "All Bells on Deck" which celebrates BOC's long history of hosting workshops on cruise ships as they present handbell music composed by some of their past cruise clinicians.  A second full-length CD, "Christmas in the Cascades," was released in 2008.  This CD features some favorite music for the Christmas season.  Selections include both sacred and secular pieces and range from the traditional to whimsical reminders of the joys of the season.

Membership continues to be by auditions held throughout the year.  BOC is constantly looking for qualified bell ringers to assist as substitutes in rehearsals (we currently rehearse on Tuesday night). If you would like to be considered as a substitute or take part in an audition, please contact BOC.