Agape Ringers Handbell Concert

The Agape Ringers, Chicago’s premier handbell ensemble, will perform in concert at First Congregational Church, 1106 Chestnut, Western Springs, IL, on Sunday, April 15, 2012 at 4 pm. Though the concert is open to everyone and tickets will not be sold in advance, an offering will be taken during the concert, with a suggested donation of $10 per person. 

This exciting, auditioned handbell ensemble from Chicagoland was featured on WTTW’s “Artbeat Chicago,” enjoys an on-going collaboration with pianist/composer Joel Raney, and has performed with jazz trumpeter Orbert Davis, the Rockford Symphony, the North Shore Choral Society, the Illinois Brass Band, the Elgin Choral Union, the West Suburban Symphony, and the West Towns Chorus.  The fifteen musicians have a collective ringing experience of over 390 years, and perform on 76 bronze Malmark handbells and 73 Malmark Choirchimes®.

Founder and director of The Agape Ringers, David L. Weck, is an editor at Hope Publishing in Carol Stream, IL, where he is solely responsible for creating and developing the company’s handbell catalog.  Mr. Weck serves as a guest conductor at handbell events all over the United States and Canada, as well as Puerto Rico and Japan. 

The Agape Ringers is noted for beautifully orchestrated presentations of entertaining and varied music. Listeners are entranced by the ensemble’s energy, precision and musicality.  Since its founding in 1992, The Agape Ringers has made over 270 appearances across North America, Puerto Rico, and England. The ringers have been featured as performers and teachers for events such as the Fellowship of American Baptist Musicians Conference for Church Musicians in Green Lake, WI, and local, regional and national gatherings of the Handbell Ringers of America. In the summer of 2012, the ensemble will embark on an eleven-day Midwest tour, teaching and performing in St. Charles, MO, Omaha, NE, Overland Park, KS, and Duluth, MN. 

You can learn more about The Agape Ringers at their website www.agaperingers.org, and on Facebook and YouTube by searching for “The Agape Ringers.” 

The April program encompasses a wide variety of musical styles, including transcriptions of the classical works “Passacaglia” by Handel and “The Ball” by Bizet, hymn arrangements, original compositions for handbells, and Sousa’s “The Stars and Stripes Forever.”