Tucson’s first community handbell ensemble. Coming together to share handbell music with the community at large.
Shannon Casey, Artistic Director
Shannon received a Master of Music in Conducting from the University of Arizona in 2001 and a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education in 1999.
Shannon’s handbell background began around age 10, ringing with a youth Handbell Ensemble at church in Cheyenne, WY.
After an absence in ringing during high school and college, Shannon rediscovered bells in the fall of 2003. Shannon rang in Sonoran Bells from 2004 through 2009.
Ms. Casey also rang in Distinctly Bronze several years. Shannon has served as a Local Liaison for the AGEHR National Conference in Tucson in 2009.
Our ringers…
Allyn Baker, Karen Kaneko Baker, Carol Coats, Teri Davies, Katie Gant, Kathy Hendrickson, Kyle Hood, Lisa Larson, Laurie Ledford, JoAnn Luther, Suzanne Miller, Arwen Newman, Raymond Ryder, Breezy Winkle
If you’d like to become a ringer, please check out our Memberships & Auditions page.
Allyn Baker
joined Sonoran Bells in 2009, although she had served as a substitute ringer earlier than that. She has been ringing handbells since 1991. Recently, she convinced and taught her sister to ring bells, and has also performed duets with her. She says that she does not really have a favorite position and just likes to play bells, though she does enjoy challenging positions. Allyn has also been singing since 1989. Recently, she began teaching herself to play the guitar, but says that she is not very good yet.
Allyn is a Massage Therapist, and specializes in Stone and Thai Massage. She teaches an Anatomy, Physiology, & Pathology class and a Stone Massage class at a massage therapy school.
Karen Kaneko Baker
has been ringing handbells since 1980, primarily in a church setting, and was one of the “founding members” of Sonoran Bells. Known affectionately as “KKB” (to ensure appropriate praise or blame is hers and not some other Karen’s), she prefers ringing the treble bells, especially four-in-hand. Otherwise, her musical background consists of a smattering of piano and soprano recorder.
Born in Glendale, California, Karen is employed as an electrical engineer in the same department as her electrical engineer husband.
Karen has a twin sister who used to ring handbells, too. (Note: It is rumored that Karen’s twin occasionally substitutes for her on the sly without the rest of us knowing, and they have a good laugh about it afterwards.)
Charter Member
Carol Coats
was introduced to handbells via the re-discovery and resurrection of a set of handbells and hand chimes at her church. Her “let’s try it out” beginning has turned into a 9 year journey of learning and loving the art and musicality of handbells. She has grown her skills via the leadership of her church handbell choir and participation in community handbell groups.
Since Carol’s retirement as a software engineer she has pursued her passion for animals by volunteering at an equine rescue and therapy ranch in northern Scottsdale. Carol also stays busy reading through a substantial book collection via two bookclubs and enjoys hiking and taking care of her husband and Siamese cat.
Teri Davies
Although she lives in Scottsdale, amongst lots of Sun Devils, she is a diehard UofA Wildcat, earning a Bachelor of Sciences degree from UofA in the 80s. She was also on scholarship as a member of the Pride of Arizona Marching Band for 4 years.
She began ringing bells in a church choir 50 years ago! She rang through high school, college, and was a charter member of a community handbell choir in Scottsdale for 20 years (Campanillas Del Sol).
Outside of bells, Teri enjoys her career as a veterinarian, teaching at Mesa Community College and breeding Labradors.
Katie Gant
Bio coming soon…
Kathy Hendrickson
began ringing handbells with her church choir in 1990 and is a charter member of Sonoran Bells. She has experience ringing solo pieces and with small ensembles but especially loves ringing with the full choir, particularly the upper treble bells where she can be challenged by 4-in-hand. She has had the privilege of playing under handbell greats Don Allured, Kay Cook, and Bill Payn at the Handbell Explo conferences held annually in Phoenix, and she was honored to ring with Distinctly Bronze West in Vancouver under the direction of Hart Morris.
Kathy is originally from Boston, MA, but spent many of her childhood years in Taichung, Taiwan, where her parents were missionaries. She is a happily retired elementary school teacher.
Charter Member
Kyle Hood
has been ringing a loooooong time. And the group likes to have him around because he can ring heavy bells! He plays with several local choirs.
Lisa Larson
just recently joined Sonoran Bells in 2024, however, she was introduced to handbells at the age of 7 when she was asked to step in and sub during a church choir rehearsal. She, along with her parents and daughter, have been ringing in church choirs ever since. She is an active member in many parts of the La Casa de Cristo Lutheran Church music program and has been ringing with Carillon de Cristo since 2018.
Lisa was born in Virginia and grew up in Prescott, AZ. Following high school graduation, she attended the University of Arizona and majored in Special Education and Rehabilitation with an emphasis in Deaf Studies. A fun fact about Lisa – she is fluent in American Sign Language and occasionally volunteers as an interpreter.
She, and her daughter, Anika, moved to Phoenix in 2015 and had the privilege of ringing with Campanillas Del Sol. Lisa joined the team at Martens Development as the Vice President of Operations where she enjoys facilitating projects from the ground up.
In her free time, Lisa enjoys traveling to places near and far, spending time at the pool enjoying the Arizona sun, game nights, and spending time with her best friend, her daughter, Anika.
Laurie Ledford
Inspired by and conducted by her mother, Laurie first rang bells as a teenager in the 1980s. Handbells resonated with her other percussion interests, which included playing xylophone and snare drum in the high school band. After a long absence from ringing, Laurie was again inspired by a Sonoran Bells Christmas concert, and she auditioned to join the ensemble. She is grateful for all she has learned from Shannon and her fellow ringers, and she is delighted by the beautiful music they make together.
Laurie is a Georgia native, who was drawn to Tucson by the dry heat, the wealth of hiking and biking trails, and the gorgeous sunsets.
JoAnn Luther
believes that she first picked up a handbell in 1993, and is proud to have been one of the “founding members” of Sonoran Bells. She has been a member of the handbell choir at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church and is currently that group’s director. Besides handbells, her musical background includes singing and piano.
JoAnn originally hails from Reading, Pennsylvania, but she has spent most of her life in Tucson and has developed many wonderful friendships as a much-in-demand hairstylist.
Charter Member
Suzanne Miller
was introduced to handbells when the church she attends found cases of bells in a closet and started recruiting congregation members to learn how to put them into use. She is the Handbell Choir Director at New Covenant Lutheran Church (Scottsdale, AZ), where it all started, and The Fountains United Methodist Church (Fountain Hills, AZ).
Suzanne has a B.A. in Music and owns a collection of instruments she plays for self-enjoyment, in addition to ringing handbells with the Saguaro Handbell Ensemble (Scottsdale, AZ) and subbing for various churches in the Phoenix area.
She is Michigan-born and Alaska-raised and has resided in Scottsdale, AZ, for many years. Suzanne is a Grants Analyst for BASIS Charter Schools.
Arwen Newman
joined Sonoran Bells in 2009. She got into bells when her younger sister and fellow Sonoran Bells member Allyn Baker convinced her to join the newly forming Jubilate Ringers of St. Philip’s in the Hills in 2004. (There wasn’t much kicking and screaming involved.) The sisters have also performed duets as “Hermanas de Carillones.” Her musical experience has included indifferent attempts to play piano, flute, and folk harp. She is also more enthusiastically an alto member of the Faculty Choir at Palo Verde High School where she teaches English.
Raymond Ryder
A man of many talents. He plays the organ, piano, and handbells. He is a PCC faculty member.
Breezy Winkle
is an active musician in flute and handbells. She holds a Bachelor of Music Performance degree in flute from Pacific Union College. Prior to her relocation to Arizona in 2022, Breezy played flute and piccolo with the Walla Walla Symphony, and has played with many other orchestras, wind ensembles, and small ensembles over the years.
Breezy first started ringing handbells in high school. Prior to her move to Arizona Breezy rang with Bells of the Desert in Richland, WA. In addition to Sonoran Bells, she currently rings with Bells of Joy at Christ the Lord Lutheran Church (Carefree, AZ) and Saguaro Bell Ensemble (Scottsdale, AZ). Breezy is also an active handbell musician at national events such as Distinctly Bronze and Bay View Week of Handbells.
Outside of music, Breezy enjoys time with her husband Ray, daughters Campbell and Marie, and hiking/backpacking with her goldendoodle Roxie. Breezy also loves to cook and golf and enjoys her career as a Technical Writer.
