As I write this I have just returned
from the wonderful Adult Festival in Virginia Beach. Thanks to all
the ringers and directors who participated, and who made this a great
event. A special thank you goes to all who lent bells and equipment
for use in classes, and to local liaisons Missy Cernigliaro and Tomi
Salzmann who made the arrangements. Without borrowed equipment Area
III could not offer such quality classes at events like this one.
Handbell choirs in Virginia are keeping busy! The Bruton Bell Choir
and Campana Ringers of Bruton Parish, Williamsburg, directed by JanEl
Gortmaker, will be ringing for worship services during Lent and
Easter. They have also scheduled a Candlelight Concert at Bruton
Parish on June 6 at 8 P.M.; there is no admission charge, but a free
will offering will be received. Concert selections include works by
Douglas Wagner, Kevin McChesney, Cynthia Dobrinski, Sondra Tucker,
and Martha Lynn Thompson.
Williamsburg United Methodist Church's five handbell groups are
ringing six octaves of handbells. Two of the church's younger choirs,
directed by Carol Hunter, played recently for a church-sponsored
talent show. The auditioned college ensemble, The Williamsburg
Ringers, performed on a mini-tour at the end of March in Williamsburg
and at Courthouse United Methodist Church and Community United
Methodist Church, both in Virginia Beach. Their program, performed by
a solo ringer, small ensemble, and full choir, included selections by
Arnold Sherman, Fred Gramann, Kevin McChesney, and Gabriel
Fauré.
The Richmond chapter of the American Guild of Organists (AGO) hosted
the sixth Biennial Handbell Festival in mid-March, featuring guest
clinician Kevin McChesney. He met with thirty directors to read and
ring many of his new compositions. Bon Air United Methodist Church
was host the first day to 23 bell choirs and over 225 ringers.
McChesney brought out the best in all the groups. River Road
Presbyterian Church was the host on day two which included a youth
mini-festival. Youth participants included groups from Fredericksburg
United Methodist Church, St. Matthew's Episcopal Church of Richmond,
Trinity Presbyterian Church of Arlington, and River Road Presbyterian
Church. The James River Ringers, a Richmond community choir directed
by Dottie Tweedie, participated in the AGO festival and then rang a
concert the following week at Westminster-Canterbury, a retirement
community in Richmond.
The Knox Ringers and Calvin Ringers, youth bell choirs of Richmond's
River Road Presbyterian Church, along with the church's youth vocal
choir, offered special music for the Youth Sunday service at
Westminster Presbyterian Church in Richmond. Westminster has neither
a bell choir nor a vocal choir for young people, so this was a
special treat for the congregation.
Massanutten Presbyterian Church has just started a children's chime
choir with two octaves of chimes. They are raising funds to purchase
the third octave. The church's bell choirs, directed by Kath
Wissiger, are preparing to record a compact disk of handbell
music.
Congratulations to the Jubilation Ringers of Centreville Baptist
Church in Chesapeake. These lively 1st through 5th grade ringers are
directed by Bill Gallip. The choir began with five ringers and now
covers three octaves. There are challenges: keeping elbows off the
table (bell tables and meal tables) and seeing over the music folders
in order to watch the director. Gallip not only teaches the children
how to ring; he also teaches them how to read music and how to mark
their own scores. When the music starts there are lots of little lips
silently moving while counting 1-2-3-4. It's exciting to realize that
some of these pint-sized people can't read The Cat in the
Hat by themselves, but they can read music and ring handbells.
Centerville Baptist Church definitely has a great group of budding
bell hogs on its hands.
Summer will be a time of preparation for the Area III Director's
Seminar in Richmond on Friday and Saturday, October 13 and 14, 2000.
Janet Van Valey will be the clinician. The registration brochure will
be mailed to you in early summer. I look forward to seeing you here
for this great Area III event for directors ...
Ed Tompkins, Virginia Chair