The Wilmington Handbell Ensemble was founded by Michael Helman in 2000 and is the only
community based handbell ensemble in Wilmington. Membership is by audition or invitation
and the group draws from various church bell choirs in New Castle County. The purpose of
the Wilmington Handbell Ensemble is to educate and introduce audiences to the beautiful
and varied repertoire for handbells as well as promote excellence in musicianship among its
members. In addition to their own concerts, the Ensemble has played at Longwood Gardens,
First Night Wilmington, Christmas in Old New Castle, Christmas Open Houses in Salem and
Woodstown, New Jersey, and Delaware Art Museum. They have also been featured with the
Rainbow Chorale of Delaware and the Wilmington Madrigal Singers in their holiday concerts.
For additional information, or to schedule a concert, please call Kerry Dietz, Artistic
Director, at 302-798-4779, email info@wilmingtonhandbells.org . Information regarding
auditions can be found at our website early in 2012, where an application to join WHE will
also be available to download. Stay tuned!
Kerry W. Dietz began his formal music training at the age of seven and his church music
career at the age of fourteen. A graduate of the University of Delaware and Westminster Choir
College, he is Minister of Worship & Music at Ebenezer United Methodist Church in Newark,
DE, where he has served since 1994. He has been involved with handbells as a ringer and a
conductor for almost 30 years and has been a conductor and clinician for handbell festivals
in Newark, DE and Ocean City, MD.
The Wilmington Handbell Ensemble is sponsored by St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 1314
Foulk Road, Wilmington, DE. We extend our appreciation to St. Paul's for the use of handbells,
equipment and rehearsal space.