Dunblane Cathedral Handbell Ringers

Dunblane Cathedral Handbell Ringers are widely regarded as the leading handbell ensemble in Scotland. They have been broadcast on national and local television and radio on many occasions, and travelled the length and breadth of the country to perform in numerous locations both large and small. They have also performed in Canada, the USA and Europe. They were established in 1977.

A very versatile group they have a wide repertoire spanning classical, modern, sacred and secular music, which has over the years allowed them to present concert programmes on their own (for many charities, churches, organisations and communities), perform with several orchestras, choirs, vocalists and instrumentalists, to take their music to the streets and to contribute to the music of worship in the Cathedral and for many other congregations.

In all they have travelled some 25,000 miles throughout the UK to fulfill over 500 engagements and have helped raise many thousands of pounds for numerous charities. They have encouraged the formation of many handbell groups throughout Scotland both by running annual seminars for church musicians and by organising handbell festivals which have attracted hundreds of ringers to Dunblane. They have hosted many handbell groups from around the world, including teams from the USA, Canada, Australia, England, Sweden and Germany. They have been featured in several national magazines.

Dunblane Cathedral's handbell programme has groups for primary school age children, high school age ringers, beginner adults and a performance adult group which also includes solo, 4-in-hand ensemble and belltree ringers.

Performance Highlights

Performed in Glasgow Royal Concert Hall in the year of it opening, and subsequently. Other major concert venues in which we have performed include Edinburgh's Usher Hall, Dundee's Caird Hall, and Glasgow City Halls.

Performed in Stirling Castle on several occasions. Other historic properties in which we have performed include Scone Palace (when we were dressed in period costume to help recreate a coronation from Scotland's history), Doune Castle, Glasgow's Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum and Gleneagles Hotel.

Performed alongside many instrumentalists, choirs, orchestras and vocalists, including Glasgow's Linn Choir, the EMMS massed choirs, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, and Caledonia Brass.

Contributed to the music of worship in Dunblane Cathedral (on our own, with the organ, with the choir, and with congregational singing) as well as for several other congregations.

Selected to perform in several national concerts of the Handbell Ringers of Great Britain. They also have the distinction of having won the national competition in the Silver Jubilee of the Handbell Ringers of Great Britain.

Performed in international handbell symposium in England (1988), Canada (1992), USA (1996), England (2000) and Canada (2004). Also performed in Germany (we also performed at the three-land-point where the borders of Holland, Belgium and Germany meet so that the ringers were performing simultaneously in three countries at once).

Featured performing group at the Handbell Exploration in Arizona in 1996.
Featured performing group in National Ring in Praise Handbell Seminars for Church Musicians - an event they initiated, and sponsored by them annually since 1989 at Dunblane Cathedral to encourage churches of all denominations throughout the country to develop a handbell ministry.

Broadcast on many occasions on television and radio both nationally and locally - the most unusual being accompanying the electric guitars, drums and vocalists of a rock group.

They have made recordings on their own as well as with the Linn Choir. And they recorded for a CD produced to accompany The Handbell Handbook published by Mayola Music.

Instruments used

Dunblane Cathedral Handbell Ringers possess the following:
Four and a half chromatic octaves of Whitechapel handbells with a range from G3 to C8, cast by Whitechapel Bell Foundry in London. These were purchased from 1980 onwards as a result of many donations from members of the congregation, local organisations and businesses, as well as funds raised by the group themselves. Each handbell was engraved at the foundry with wording of each donor's choice and every one also bears the engraving DB.K and the date of acquisition - this being in the style of communion tokens in use in the Cathedral in centuries past.

Two and a half chromatic octaves of Schulmerich handbells, with a range from G4 to B6, manufactured by Schulmerich Carillons of Sellersville, Pennsylvania, USA.

Two chromatic octaves of Malmark handbells, with a range from C5 to G6, as well as the 5th octave extension set C3 to F#3, and G#7 to C8, manufactured by Malmark, Inc of Plumsteadville, Pennsylvania, USA.

Three chromatic octaves of Schulmerich MelodyChime handchimes with a range from C4 to C7.

Two chromatic octaves of belleplates, with a range from G4 to G6.


The Directors

Malcolm C Wilson has directed the handbell programme at Dunblane Cathedral since 1987. He was a founding member of the group and Depute Director from 1978 until 1987.

Judith Frye has been Depute Musical Director since 2006. 

Contact for Dunblane Cathedral Handbell Ringers

E-mail:
handbellsdunblanecathedral.org.uk

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