About the Philadelphia Handbell Ensemble

Philadelphia Handbell Ensemble is a community ensemble comprised of auditioned, advanced-level handbell ringers from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.

Read more about the members of the Philadelphia Handbell Ensemble or its artistic director and conductor, Kermit D. Junkert.

A rare find among handbell ensembles ... musically engaging and a special combination of inspiration and education. —John Sall, Director, Abington Symphony Orchestra

Musically, Philadelphia Handbell Ensemble appreciates a wide array of musical styles and moods with a repertoire spanning original compositions, arrangements and transcriptions of classical literature. An advanced range of ringing techniques allows the ensemble to move beyond the traditional handbell sound and redefines the character of a single instrument, whether it's through percussive stopped sounds or poignant echoes or a shimmering decrescendo.

Philadelphia Handbell Ensemble was established in November 2003, is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, and is a member of the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers.

Our Mission

Philadelphia Handbell Ensemble strives to reach higher standards of musical excellence through the use of handbells and to explore the incorporation of other instruments in order to broaden the exposure of handbells to the performing arts.

Through workshops, conferences, and community outreach programs, PHE promotes the art and education of handbell ringing. The ensemble seeks to educate and encourage public appreciation and interest in handbells through musical performance and to expand the use of handbells in music education.

Philadelphia Handbell Ensemble Board Members

• Deb Heine, President
• Gail Posey, Secretary
• Rebecca Landon, Treasurer
• Alan Pentecost, Ringer Representative
• Kermit Junkert, Artistic Director and Conductor

Read more about the members of the Philadelphia Handbell Ensemble.