Bells of the Cascades began in 1990, organized by a group of directors and advanced ringers seeking to share our love of handbells and a more challenging ringing experience. We invited a director, ringers auditioned, we formed a nonprofit corporation, and the choir was off and running.

As we continued to develop a reputation as a top performing choir, we began to promote the art of handbell ringing by teaching workshops and conducting music reading sessions for local ringers.

In 1993, Bells of the Cascades organized our first handbell cruise, a floating workshop sailing through Alaska's Inside Passage. Since then, we have cruised the Eastern and Western Caribbean (including the Panama Canal), Mexican Riviera, and returned to Alaska—enjoying the company of ringers from all over North America as well as Europe, South America, and Australia—fifteen times.

Pioneers in the community handbell choir movement, Bells of the Cascades has been invited to the Handbell Musicians of America’s national handbell conference three times, in 1997, 2013 and 2021. We have also performed at regional handbell conferences and showcases in the Pacific Northwest several times.

We've collaborated with many other artists, including performances with Portland Choir and Orchestra, Pink Martini, the Melodica Men, Cathedral Bells, Bells of the Sound, Masterworks Choral Ensemble, Portland's Singing Christmas Tree, and more. We also perform as quintets and full ensembles at community events throughout Western Oregon and Southwest Washington.

Our Directors

Dick Coulter

1990–1997

Nancy Hascall

1997–2011

Kris Sparks

interim · 2012–2013

David York

2013–2016

Leanne Bilstrom

interim · 2016

Matthew Compton

2017–present