2025-2026 Ringing Season
Jordan Buchholtz has been involved in handbell choirs since her teenage years, beginning with ringing at her hometown church, Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Spring Valley, MN. She is currently the Principal Organist and Pianist at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church and the Director of Handbells, plus the Fika Music Series Coordinator. Jordan regularly works, performs, and records with both vocalists and instrumentalists as well as local chamber ensembles and opera companies in and around the Twin Cities. She holds music degrees from the University of Minnesota (DMA), University of Missouri-Kansas City, and Luther College.
Megan Brozenec has been playing bells since she was 8 years old, and is very excited to be ringing in bells of the lakes for the first time this year! When not playing bells, she works as a Software Engineer.
Jennifer Cadwell has been ringing handbells for over 35 years and directs the handbells at Hennepin Avenue UMC in Minneapolis. Currently, Jennifer serves as the Past Chair for Area 7 of Handbell Musicians of America and is a handbell clinician at local, area, and national events. Handbells are where she finds joy!
Cynthia Clanton discovered handbells as an adult, adding a fascinating new musical chapter to her previous experience as a church organist, band and orchestra member, and marching band/show choir/dance team chaperone and theater mom. When not making music, Cynthia is typically working at marketing communications, reading, baking something, or tackling a project on her family’s farm south of the Twin Cities.
Erik Freed is a returning bass ringer in his 10th season with Bells of the Lakes. He enjoys waterskiing, campfires, board games, and sharing life with his wife and two daughters. Erik works as a principal software engineer at Boston Scientific.
Laura Goulding is thrilled to be ringing her third year with Bells of the Lakes. She’s also a longtime ringer with Hennepin Chime. This season, she moved down to bass bells and is excited to learn and develop her skills in this area.
Kristin (KJ) Johnson joined Bells of the Lakes in 2019. She picked up bell ringing as a way to continue making music after her drum corps days were over and has been part of Hennepin Chime at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church for nearly two decades. Kristin is a mathematics teacher at St. Louis Park High School and spends her evenings chauffeuring her three daughters to their many activities.
Eric Kvasnicka is in his third year ringing with Bells of the Lakes. He began ringing during his first year at St. Olaf College and rang for all four years of college, although his senior year was cut short because of the pandemic. Outside of ringing, Eric is pursuing a law career. In his free time, he likes to run, Nordic ski, play piano and read.
Martha Mathis has nearly life-long experience with handbells. In fact, she started ringing at age 6 as a member of the Mathis Family Ringers. A ringer through middle school and high school in church youth groups, she joined Hennepin Chime in 2004 and was a member of that group until 2018. Like others in Bells of the Lakes, Martha helped break a Guiness World Record for the largest handbell ensemble as part of The Big Ring — although she may have been the only ringer to break the record while hoisting a small child. Martha is glad to be part of Bells of the Lakes and says she loves ringing under her dad’s direction.
Whitney Nagel has been ringing handbells since she was 11 years old and has rung in various groups in addition to some solo and small ensemble ringing. Her day-to-day life includes working as a psychotherapist and chasing after her two small children. In her free time, she enjoys camping, hiking, stand-up paddleboarding, traveling, and trying new foods.
Akudo Omeoga is in her fourth year ringing with Bells of the Lakes. She began ringing handbells back in the early 2000’s at Hennepin Avenue UMC. While her time ringing was short, it’s always been a huge interest to her. Akudo was THRILLED that her home church, Camphor UMC, had an adult handbell choir. In her free time – Akudo is an avid reader.
Laurie Pyle has been ringing handbells for over 40 years, and still enjoys every minute! She also has directed youth choirs and adult choirs. In addition to Bells of the Lakes, Laurie has been a sub for numerous choirs and ensembles in the Twin Cities for rehearsals and performances. Some of her favorite bell memories are ringing with Hart Morris for the debut of his piece “7/8 Lay them Straight”, playing at Orchestra Hall with Doc Severinsen and the Minnesota Orchestra for the Jingle Bell Doc concerts, and playing showcase concerts at the National Seminars in San Diego and St. Louis. Laurie also has been playing flute and piccolo since grade school, performing for many weddings, concerts, and other assorted performances! She is supported by an understanding family that includes her husband and daughter, who both play bells. Laurie is the President of Bells of the Lakes.
Bridget Rands is a third-generation handbell ringer who started her ringing career in high school at King of Kings Lutheran Church in Woodbury and played with Bethel University for 5 years until she joined Bells of the Lakes. Bridget is a STEM teacher at STARBASE Minnesota, Inc., and she loves to challenge her students to try new things. In her free time, Bridget likes to explore new baking recipes and go on adventures.
Krista Riedel began ringing handbells 30 years ago and has never looked back! She has sat on the Area 7 board and been a teacher on the area and national levels, including being a performer. An active musician, she is a solo handbell ringer, flutist, pianist, and vocalist, including singing with The Elm Ensemble and Sanctuary choir at Hennepin Ave UMC. Krista is the Office Administrator at Redeemer Covenant Church, and also the Youth handbell director at Hennepin Ave UMC. In her free time, Krista enjoys being with her family, cheering on any women’s MN sports teams, kayaking, and hammocking.
Kristyn Svoboda has been ringing since college, discovering handbells as a student at Concordia University in St. Paul, Minnesota. She works as a research specialist, doing background checks with Omni Data Retrieval. She has mastered several other instruments, including flute, bassoon, percussion and piano. She’s a native of Farmington, Minnesota, and is partial to puppies, chocolate and video games.
Laura Wahl has a lifelong enjoyment of playing handbells. She’s been fortunate to ring with groups including Hennepin Ringers, Hennepin Chime, Bells of the Pond Quartet, Mele Mai Paki Lima in Hawaii and Bells of the Lakes. She says the best parts of ringing in a handbell choir are being part of the community, having fun and making beautiful music together.
Scott Ward admits he started ringing bells in 1985 to meet women – and it worked! He met his wife, Deb, at an area handbell festival in Fargo a year later, and they have been ringing together in church bell choirs since then. Scott is a charter member of Bells of the Lakes. He has been chosen for several handbell conference choirs. When he’s not making music, Scott is an IT analyst for a defense contractor and loves to take motorcycle trips.
William H. Mathis, Musical Director, “retired” from a 50-year career in church music and has continued as an active clinician in both the choral and handbell fields, giving special emphasis to teaching rehearsal technique and musicianship. Bill has been the conductor of Handbell Musicians of America’s national festivals and annual Seminar, as well as many events at the local and regional levels. He is the founding musical director of Bells of the Lakes and, in his failed attempt at retirement, also leads Chorus Polaris. His compositions are found in the catalogs of 15 publishers.
