Bishop's Bluecoat Anglican High School Handbell Choir Plays St. Bart's Today

The Bishop's Bluecoat Anglican High School Handbell Choir from Chester (UK) will present a free impromptu concert at St. Bartholomew's Church today, July 29, at 12:30 pm.

The choir includes 12 gifted handbell ringers, who are students at the Bishop's Bluecoat Anglican High School. The team rings in the traditional English "off -table" style using a 4-octave set of American Malmark bells. As members of the Handbell Ringers of Great Britain, they have performed at every NW Region Rally since their formation and twice at National Rallies. The team rang in Lörrach, Chester's twin town in Germany on the occasion of the inauguration of "Chesterplatz" a city centre square named to commemorate the twinning of the two cities - and returned to Lörrach in June 2012. The ringers appeared on national television on the Jonathan Ross show - as a "backing group" for the Icelandic singer Björk. In March 2013 Bishops' Handbell Ringers were invited to represent the N.W. of England in the national Rally Concert in Glasgow. They were one of 7 teams in the UK afforded this prestigious invitation.

The choir's conductor, Derek Jackson, MBE, has been a member of the National Executive of the Handbell Ringers of Great Britain and has served twice as Chairman of the North West Region of the Association. The concert will include classical handbell compositions as well as hymn tune variations and excerpts of music from the film "Titanic" and the musical "Phantom of the Opera."

This free concert will take place at St. Bartholomew's Church at the corner of Park Avenue and 51st Street. Subway: 6 to 51st Street. For more information, call (212) 378-0222 or visit http://stbarts.org/music/summer-festival-of-sacred-music/.

To post a comment, you must register and login.