The Raleigh Ringers, Raleigh, NC Videos

Here's a clip from last night's Millbrook Ringers sharing concert. This is "In the Shadow of Your Wings" written by Karen Buckwalter. The ringers did an amazing job with this beautiful piece.

The members of Millbrook Ringers, our intermediate/advanced level educational ringing group, are hard at work this session. Here's a clip of them playing Revelation written by @Cathy Moklebust Music. We can't wait to hear the final product, but it's already sounding fantastic!

We hope you enjoy the Millbrook Ringers performing Hope for Reconciliation by Lee Afdahl. Information on our educational ringing groups and all of our education opportunities can be found online. https://rr.org/education/

What a great way to end Capital Area Handbell Festival 2023! This is Jason Krug’s arrangement of “Hark the Herald, Angels Sing.” Thank you to all the ringers and directors for your hard work preparing for today, and thank you to Jason W. Krug, Composer for being today’s clinician.

Today is the last day of our online silent auction. We’ve had some bidding wars, so we’ve decided to open extended bidding. Auctions ends at 4pm today unless active bidding is ongoing. If you bid within the last 5 minutes of the auction, the prior bidder will get a text and an extension to outbid. This will continue until 5 minutes have passed on an item with no additional bids. Check out all the items! https://www.accelevents.com/e/rrauction2023#Auction

When Christmas Comes to Town
Today's #HandbellAdventCalendar video is “When Christmas Comes to Town” (Glen Ballard and Alan Silvestri) performed by Szironta Együttes. This song was written for the 2004 film, Polar Express. Szironta, based in Hungary, was founded in 2004. Initially they achieved success with folk music and then with Hungarian handbells. With nearly 50 concerts a year and several foreign contributions, Szironta is working to popularizing the instrument of handbells. In their program, they mainly cover classical music literature, but they are also happy to look in the direction of more popular genres. Check them out! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/szironta

Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring
Today's #HandbellAdventCalendar video is “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” (by J.S. Bach, arr. Martha Lynn Thompson) performed by Magic of Bronze. The group took advantage of having “extra” ringers to play this arrangement of Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring with a four-octave bell choir and three-octave chime choir. Magic of Bronze has been ringing in Central Florida since 1996. The ensemble features four directors who take turns behind the podium and ringing behind the table. In Fall 2022, Magic of Bronze added the Grace Notes, a secondary ensemble for late beginner and early intermediate ringers. Check them out! Website: www.magicofbronze.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/magicbronzehandbells

Winter Wonderland
Today's #HandbellAdventCalendar video is “Winter Wonderland” (by Felix Bernard, arr. Joel Raney) performed by Shoreline Ringers. Shoreline Ringers, a community handbell ensemble located in southeastern CT, has been captivating audiences throughout New England with their exciting concerts since 2006 under the direction of Jane Nolan. The group has performed and taught at numerous workshops, Area 1 Festivals, and most recently, the Handbell Musicians of America National Seminar 2021 in Arizona. Check them out! Website: https://shorelineringers.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shorelineringers

Los Peces en el Rio with Fum, Fum, Fum
Today's #HandbellAdventCalendar video is “Los Peces en el Rio with Fum, Fum, Fum” (setting by Brian Seemann) performed by the Madison Area Concert Handbells(MACH). This piece combines a Spanish carol “Los Peces en el Rio” with the Catalan Carol “Fum, Fum, Fum” in a fun, rhythmic setting. MACH performed this piece for their 2021 winter concert. Founded in 1997, Madison Area Concert Handbells (MACH) is celebrating their 25th anniversary creating joyous music throughout the Madison area. Under the direction of Nick Bonaccio, MACH encourages public appreciation and interest in handbell music through twice-yearly concerts while providing educational and performance opportunities for handbell ringers. Check them out! Website: https://madisonhandbells.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MadisonHandbells

Carol of the Bells
Today's #HandbellAdventCalendar video is “Carol of the Bells” (Mykola Leontovich, arr. Nicholas Hanson) performed by Embellish Handbells. The publisher says it best: Do we really need ANOTHER arrangement of “Carol of the Bells”? When you hear this unique setting by Nicholas Hanson, the answer will be a resounding “YES!!!” An exciting 7/8 rhythmic feel pulses under this stunning arrangement, driving things with plenty of energy. Located in West Michigan, Embellish was founded in the fall of 1995 to be a professional level group that provides a high quality musical experience for diverse audiences through performance and teaching the art of handbell ringing. Check them out! Website: http://embellishhandbells.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/embellishhandbells

Ding Ding, Merrily on High
Today's #HandbellAdventCalendar video is “Ding Dong, Merrily on High” (Thoinot Arbeau, arr. Larry Sue) performed by Larry and Carla. This arrangement of the popular Christmas carol is for eight handbells, piano, and flute, and is performed in concert by Larry and Carla with Gary and Martha Matthews. Larry and Carla are West Michigan's smallest handbell choir. They've been performing handbell duets together since 2012, and together they run their own small business, Choraegus, publishing their arrangements for as few as six handbells, all the way up to eight octaves. Check them out! Website: www.larryandcarla.com Facebook: Larry and Carla

We hope you enjoy this clip of Karen Buckwalter’s arrangement of Holy, Holy, Holy. Performed by the participants of the Capital Area Handbell Festival with clinician Sandra Eithun.

This year at the Capital Area Handbell Festival, we were able to have six flautists join us to play Sandra Eithun’s arrangement of Silent Night, directed by Sandra herself!

Here’s a clip of clinician Sandra Eithun directing her arrangement of Pat-a-Pan at the Capital Area Handbell Festival. This was this year’s challenge song!

The Millbrook Ringers are halfway through their fall session and sounding great! Here’s a quick video from this week’s rehearsal.

Over 1,250 voices joining us for the chorus of “Sweet Caroline” last night at Chautauqua.

We hope you enjoy this clip of Virtuoso performing "Fantasy on Shchedryk (Ukrainian Carol)" (Mykola Leontovich, arr. Michael Blanton). While this is a popular holiday song, the original work is a Ukrainian New Year’s song, "shchedrivka,” which translates as “little swallow’ and tells the tale of a swallow flying into a home as a harbinger of wealth. Over the years, new lyrics converted this tune to a holiday tradition. In addition, the Gregorian Dies Irae (Day of Wrath) plainchant is heard in the work. The ringers are all wearing gloves in the colors of the Ukrainian flag. The sale of these gloves (www.rr.org/store) supports relief efforts in Ukraine.

Virtuoso is warming up “Lux Aeterna” (Compton/Payn). They are joined onstage by a string quintet from the North Carolina Chamber Music Institute - NCCMI. See them perform with us today at 3pm at Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts. www.rr.org/springconcert

Rehearsals are underway at Virtuoso. The ringers and Dr. Payn are hard at work! #virtuosobells2022