“Acknowledged expert in handbell ringing” – South West Region of the Handbell Ringers of Great Britain

Aidan started ringing handbells and belleplates when he was 9 or 10 years old. After seeing a local handbell team in a school assembly, he joined a Friday lunch time youth team. That Friday lunch time became Friday after school, then Tuesday evenings, before coming 4 week nights per week with all day Saturday and sometimes Sunday too! It is fair to say that he was hooked.

Aidan has performed around the country and beyond, representing his region and country in Scotland, France, America, Japan, Canada and even as far away as New Zealand! Aidan regularly performs as both a soloist, part of a team and as a musical director of a team of up to 35 performers.

Aidan has entered competitive music festivals for a number of years as part of an 11 person Handbell Team and as a member of quartets and trios. After being awarded grades as high as 90/100 (Outstanding) at the Wantage Music Festival as part of a trio, Aidan has entered the Chelmsford Music Festival as a Belleplate soloist. On his first attempt in 2012 he was awarded 99/100; The highest mark ever awarded at the festival. In 2013 he entered again, achieving a score of 96/100, maintaining his extremely high average.

Aidan is an active member of the Handbell Ringers of Great Britain, sitting as an elected member of the East Anglian Regional Committee. He has organised a number of events and presents workshops at National events to other Handbell and Belleplate performers. At these national events he has been selected to perform in “All Star” groups and to perform as a soloist in the prestidgious showcase concert in 2010, 2012 and 2013 as an example of the best ringers in the UK today.

As well as being a Belleplate soloist, in 2008 Aidan founded an advanced handbell team called Resonance, tasked with improving the quality of handbell performance in the UK. This team brings together some of the most tallented ringers in the south of England to rehearse up to once per month. The team rings short handed (9 performers instead of up to 13) on a 5 octave set of Handbells and chimes.

Aidan is also musical director of the East Anglian Regional Handbell Team. This is one of the largest teams in the world, with up to 40 musicians performing on a total of 14 octaves of handbells. The team performs 3 concerts per year across East Anglia.

In 2018 Aidan shall be a member of the faculty of the Handbell Musicians of America National Seminar, teaching 4 sessions.