Bells of the Lakes was founded in 1996 to promote musical excellence through the medium of handbells.  It also provides an opportunity for highly skilled English handbell ringers to perform advanced level music. Membership is by audition and includes ringers from throughout the Twin Cities.  William H. Mathis is a nationally known conductor and arranger of handbell and choral music.

Bells of the Lakes performs public concerts, records demonstration CD’s of newly published handbell music and organizes local educational events, including a winter massed ringing event and a summer seminar.  The ensemble commissions original compositions for handbells from known and emerging composers and offers premiere performances of new musical arrangements for English handbells.

Director William H. Mathis is the retired Minister of Music and Fine Arts at the Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church in Minneapolis. Bill is an active clinician in both the choral and handbell fields, giving special emphasis to teaching rehearsal technique and musicianship.  He is the founding music director of Bells of the Lakes and presently serves on the national board of Handbell Musicians of America.