The Raleigh Ringers is an internationally-recognized advanced community handbell choir consisting of auditioned musicians, under the direction of David M. Harris. Founded in 1990, the virtuosity and musicianship of the group, the variety of music performed, and the excitement of the group's live performances put The Raleigh Ringers in constant demand on the concert stage. The group performs on the largest collection of handbell instruments owned by any group in the world: a 71/2 octave set of Malmark handbells, 5 octaves of Whitechapel handbells, 3 octaves of Petit and Fritsen (Dutch) handbells, 4 octaves of Whitechapel Bell Cups, 2 octaves of Schulmerich Silver Melody Bells, and 5 1/2 octaves of Malmark Choirchimes. Highlights of Raleigh Ringer appearances have included the following performances: - Concert tour to Paris, France and surrounding areas. - Holiday Pops Concerts with the North Carolina Symphony. - Concert Performances at the Chautauqua Institution Amphitheater in Chautauqua, New York - Concerts as part of the Piccolo Spoleto Arts Festival in Charleston, South Carolina. - Featured guest artist for the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, State College, PA. - Featured guest performer for Pinnacle 2000, a first-time event for Community and Professional Handbell Ensembles held in Las Vegas, NV. - Showcase choir for the National Directors Seminar of the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers (AGEHR) in Springfield, Massachusetts and in Greenville, South Carolina. - Featured Choir for Handbell Exploration in Scottsdale, Arizona. - Featured guest artist for Music and Liturgical Arts Week at Lake Junaluska, NC. The group has premiered many handbell compositions by nationally-known handbell composers including William Payn, Hart Morris, Arnold Sherman, Karen Buckwalter, Cynthia Dobrinski, William Griffin, Cathy Moklebust and Fred Gramann. In addition, the Raleigh Ringers have been featured on several demonstration recordings for leading publishers of new handbell music. "The Raleigh Ringers Series" by Jeffers Handbell Supply was introduced in 1996 as an ongoing set of published compositions and arrangements suitable for performance by advanced handbell groups. The Raleigh Ringers have released three Compact Disc recordings: - "The Raleigh Ringers" (1995). This popular recording consists of 17 tracks highlighting the diverse repertoire performed by the group. - "Impressions of the Season" (1997) - features 26 tunes from the group's vast selection of holiday pieces. - "More" (2000) - 94-minute, Double CD - once again highlighting the diversity of this musical ensemble.