Rick Holdsworth has dedicated his career to sharing music with the public, as a vocalist, instrumentalist, director, arranger, and music educator. His love of music began at an early age, and grew as a member of his high school marching band. After graduation, he began his first professional music career in the U.S. Navy. During his 30 years of service, Rick performed in, managed and directed Navy bands around the world. After retiring as a master chief, he began his second career in music ministry. For more than 20 years now, Rick has been leading an extensive music ministry, including vocal and handbell choirs of all ages and skill levels, as the Director of Music at Pine Shores Presbyterian Church in Sarasota, Florida.
A recognized expert in all facets of handbell music and operations, Rick has been an enthusiastic member of the handbell music community for nearly four decades. In 2009, Rick founded “Ring Sarasota” – an advanced handbell community ensemble – and continues to lead the organization as principal conductor. He has been an invited guest conductor and clinician at handbell conferences and festivals throughout the southeast, and has published hand-bell arrangements and orchestrations by five different music publishers to-date. His first handbell arrangement, a complete transcription of “Jupiter” from The Planets, was selected for performance at Distinctly Bronze East 2015 – an event he has participated in for a decade.
Rick is an active member of the American Guild of Organists Sarasota-Manatee Chapter, the Handbell Musicians of America, the Presbyterian Association of Musicians, and the Fellowship of Methodist Musicians. When not creating handbell music, he works behind-the-scenes as the Florida Handbell Doctor repairing, adjusting, refurbishing, and cleaning handbell sets for organizations throughout the southeast.
Rick is married to Cher, and they have three grown children and five grandchildren. In his spare time, he can be found tinkering with his Lionel O-Gauge model train layout.
