Saturdays at 7 welcomes back Bells Ablaze and Bellissima Ringers May 9.
These two professional handbell ensembles will present Ringing into Spring at 7 p.m. in the sanctuary of St. Andrew’s United Church in Chatham.
Bells Ablaze, formed in 2004, is an advanced invitational handbell choir drawing from communities throughout southwestern Ontario. This ensemble has performed in many concerts since its inception, including Canada’s national handbell festival and the Stratford Summer Music Festival, as well as with the Toronto Symphony.
This group of ringers play challenging repertoire without a conductor, requiring not only a high degree of musicianship from each ringer, but a level of synergy and collaboration beyond that found in most ensembles.
Bellissima Ringers, founded in 1997 as a handbell quartet, enjoys a busy schedule of ringing at hundreds of concerts throughout southwestern Ontario and beyond, including in a CBC-TV production and at Roy Thomson Hall. They were honoured to be the “special guest small ensemble” at the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers Conference in Pennsylvania.
To celebrate 10 years of ringing together, Bellissima Ringers released its first CD recording, Decade.
They have a wide range of repertoire for full handbell choir, handbell quartet and even solo ringing that provides a unique music experience.
Both groups are directed by Susan Carscadden-Mifsud who has a passion for handbells. Based in Ingersoll, she is one of Canada’s most accomplished handbell soloists, a noted conductor and a clinician who has shared her expertise and love of ringing with directors and choirs across Canada.
Featuring a wide range of music from the energetic to the elegant, this concert will showcase the expressive power of handbells. A handbell performance is equal parts sight and sound.
All are welcome. Doors open at 6:30 pm. Donations, gratefully accepted at the door (suggested $20 per person), support the music program at St. Andrew’s.
