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The Pikes Peak Ringers is a community handbell choir based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The group was established in 1991 by its director, Kevin McChesney, to provide an outlet for advanced ringers and to create performances that showcase the instrument of handbells with the highest quality presentation and musicianship. The group has performed a variety of styles of music – classical, traditional, pop, jazz, new age, contemporary and original – and has developed a unique and influential style of visual as well as musical presentation. In addition to performances throughout the state of Colorado and the western United States, the Pikes Peak Ringers have been the featured group at several national handbell choir events, have been involved with publishers in providing promotional recordings of new releases, and have recorded five studio CDs and produced two performance DVDs.
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In 2004 the Pikes Peak Ringers made history as a handbell choir, performing the first and only classical concerto composed specifically for handbell choir and orchestra. The concerto, "Ring of Fire," was composed by director Kevin McChesney and performed with the Fort Collins Symphony in Fort Collins, Colorado. A recording of the complete concerto can be found on the group's third CD, "Standing Room Only."
In January 2009, the Pikes Peak Ringers were selected as the winner of a worldwide collaboration contest with cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and will be traveling to Boston, Massachusetts to record with Ma for his new Christmas CD due out this year.