Stevie Berryman can’t whistle. But she makes fantastic pesto, and she can fold a fitted sheet. Likewise, her skills as music director and teacher have also been acquired through long hours of arduous and dedicated practice.

For much of her career Stevie has directed seven or more ensembles each week, meaning she has 114 years of experience (in dog years). Her effusive energy and wild creativity found a perfect setting in 2013 when she became the Artistic Director of the Houston Chamber Ringers, which has let her smash together her love for music, laughter, and tacos in a truly remarkable way. She has a particular passion for teaching beginners how to ring, and her innovative, play-based methods have made her a sought-after educator and clinician at area and national handbell festivals.

Stevie serves as the handbell director at First Congregational Church Houston, and loves helping other choirs as a private clinician or planning epic concerts for them as a creative consultant.

She and her husband Paul are co-owners of Truly Horrible Things, a snarky card game company, even though her mother always told her that no one would ever pay her to be sarcastic.

For over thirty years, Greig Ashurst has developed an impressive conducting and teaching career in many facets of music, technology, and educational philosophy across the United States.

A native of Lafayette, Louisiana, he served as a music educator in Louisiana, North Carolina, and Texas. Currently, Mr. Ashurst is director of bands and director of technology at Cathedral-Carmel School, where he was selected as the 2016-2017 Teacher of the Year, an honor for which he was selected twice previously in Louisiana and North Carolina.

He is a published composer and arranger and has two lines of mallets that he designed specifically for playing on handbells. These mallets, sold by Schulmerich Bells, have changed the timbral landscape of handbell music throughout the world.

He currently serves as president-elect of the Handbell Musicians of America and is an advocate for getting handbells into schools throughout the United States.