Maghull Parish Handbell Ringers 40th Birthday

 Maghull's 40th Birthday Concert

 On 1st July 2023 Maghull Parish Handbell Ringers held a concert to mark 40 years since their founding.

The concert kicked off with Good King Wenceslas, an unusual choice for a hot midsummers day. However Beth explained that Good King Wenceslas was the first piece the team ever played in public, this being at their first rally in 1983.

The team used the original bells for this piece and the band included founding members Simon and Molly Rennie.

Then came Grazioso by Arnold Sherman a piece which brought back memories of the Canada International Symposium which Maghull attended in Toronto, Canada.

The next piece was Birthday Rag, highly appropriate for the 40th celebration and continued with Siya Hamba. This piece of music, which makes use of the African Drum which Simon brought back form a trip to Africa, really got the feet tapping. 

The team played a "Pirates of the Caribbean Medly" and "Phantom of the Opera", a favourite of thier long time supporters Marjorie and Jean, now sadly no longer with us.

Then Mountain Mist by Cynthia Dubrinski with Robert accompanying on the flute which had been a favourite of their musical director, Judith Barker. Next came the lovely Meditation on Blaenwern arranged for the team by Malcolm Wilson.

And finally the concert closed with Highland Cathedral, a favourite of Maggie's and purchased for the team by her husband.  

Following the excellent concert came the cutting of the cake by Simon and Molly, raffle and refreshments. The team's archives were available to browse and the excellent cake was distributed.

Gallery - Maghull Parish Handbell Ringers 40th

 
    to, re

NBO concert Sheffield 2023

  Northern Bell Orchestra Concert, Sheffield 2023

'Ringing in Harmony' was a Concert given by the Northern Bell Orchestra in collaboration with the New Chamber Choir in St Mary's church, Sheffield in May 2023.

Rona Gager introduced the concert with the customary fire notice and told us a bit about the church where the concert was being held including it's outreach work during the week.

Some members of Kinder Handbell Team had decided to venture into the NorthEast region for the concert and it turned out to be a lovely evening.

The mix of choral and handbell music complimented each other perfectly. The choir was made up of singers from other choirs and sang a broad variety of music from very different genres.

One piece for both choir and handbells was called Stars, a very atmospheric piece with some very high notes for the choir.

The Bronze Carillion Quartet rang some impressive music, picking up and putting down bells and swapping bells amongst themselves at breakneck speed.

Visual aids were used to illustrate the Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy including a fairy wand, christmas headband and tinsel.

Some of the music had been included in the recent coronation service, the bell orchestra played "All is Well" and the choir sang " I was glad when they said unto me"  by C.H. Parry.

Kate Swallisch thanked everyone for coming and said it was good to be back to performing after the interuption of  the Covid pandemic.

Maghull 40th Anniversary Concert Saturday 1st July 2023

Concert and Refreshments with Maghull Parish Handbell Ringers
Saturday 1st July 2023

 To Celebrate their 40th anniversary Maghull Parish Handbell Ringers will be giving a concert and holding a party in the Parish Hall where they meet.

  Contact

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2023 NorthWest Spring Gathering

 Thank you for this review of the :

NORTH WEST REGION SPRING GATHERING AND AGM, 

25 MARCH 2023,  at KNOWLE GREEN VILLAGE HALL.

AGM then Lunch.

NorthWest Spring GatheRing 2023

    Spring GatheRing -
    Saturday 25th March 2023

   Spring GatheRing – Knowle Green

On 25^th March 2023 eight teams of handbell ringers descended on the small Ribble Valley hamlet of Knowle Green for a joyful get together.

The day was dry and bright as bells, tables and foam were unloaded from cars and coaches
and tables were set up in the Village Hall.

Space was tight as the floor space began to fill up but eventually everyone got in as we were preparing for a day’s ringing and entertainment.

The first Massed ringing was a piece commissioned from Malcolm C. Wilson in memory of Derek Jackson MBE, an arrangement of Derek’s favourite classical music, Finlandia by Jean Sebelius.

Beth conducted this piece which had been circulated to the teams in advance. John Collins a former member of Bishops Handbell Ringers joined us to hear this played for the first time and share his memories of Derek.

The day was punctuated by the statutory AGM where officers were elected or reelected.

Kate kindly conducted The Royalty Waltz, a piece which was quite appropriate with the forthcoming Coronation of King Charles III in May.

There were two train themed tunes played by the teams even though no-one came by train and despite “Singing in the Rain” the weather stayed fine for packing away.  

See the photo gallery here

The teams played:

Sale - Dutch Tulip Dance

Norbury - Pomp & Circumstance March

Marple - Early one morning

Gresford – Plink plank plonk

Beth & Josi - Stop

Dean - The Runaway train

Kinder - Gods Train

Marron Valley - In the bleak midwinter

Maghull - The Parade of the tin soldiers

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Maghull - Birthday rag (Robin Benton) for Maghull’s 40^th Birthday

Marron Valley - Maria from The Sound of Music

Kinder - Policemen’s holiday

Dean - La Mourisque with tambour & Indian bell (arr Sandra Winter)

Beth & Josi - I have a dream - ABBA

Gresford - You raise me up

Marple - Trumpet symphonia

Norbury - Prelude to Te Deum

Sale - Singing in the rain