Charlotte Bronze Handbell Ensemble holds open auditions for intermediate and advanced ringers before both the fall and spring seasons each year.  At auditions, prospective and current CBHE members sight-read various pieces of music as a group in front of three outside adjudicators.  Each person auditioning will be asked to complete a “Prospective Ringer Information Sheet” as well, so CBHE can gather your information and your level of comfort and experience with handbell ringing.

Charlotte Bronze Handbell Ensemble is excited to announce auditions for the Spring 2018 season.  On Monday, January 15, auditions will be held at First United Methodist Church in Charlotte at 501 N Tryon Street at 7:00pm.

Please email adcbhe@charlottebronze.org if you’re interested in auditioning!

CBHE was saddened to hear of the passing of ringer Greg Unerwood on December 29, 2017.  We will miss our dear friend, fellow ringer, composer, and dedicated supporter.  Please see below for Greg’s obituary.

Gregory McKinley Underwood, 46
Gregory McKinley Underwood was born January 15, 1971, in Columbus, Ohio, the youngest of six children to Winnie A. and T. Fred Underwood. He died at Pineville Rehabilitation Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, December 29, 2017, after a courageous battle with cancer. He was a 1989 (co-valedictorian) graduate of Fort Myers, Florida, High School and a 1993 (magna cum laude) graduate of Duke University. Greg was a gifted musician, an accomplished pianist, and an award-winning composer of several handbell choir compositions. Greg was highly respected and loved by his colleagues and students during his 20-year career as the staff accompanist for the Music Department at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. He also served more than a decade as the Music Director for the Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church, in Weddington, North Carolina, and was a frequent guest pianist for the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, and for his home church of First Baptist Church of Fort Myers, Florida. Both alone and with his friends, he loved traveling, exploring, and hiking in the mountains. Greg was preceded in death by his grandparents, James and Hester Winters of Cambridge, Ohio; and Clay and Margaret Underwood of Fort Myers, Florida; and by his father, Thomas Frederick Underwood, of Fort Myers, Florida, and Columbus, Ohio. Greg is survived by his mother, Winnie A. Underwood of Fort Myers, Florida and Columbus, Ohio; and by his five siblings and their spouses, Debra (Tom) Minto of Columbus, Ohio; Sandra (Rick) Chojnacki of South Milwaukee, Wisconsin; David (Susan) Underwood of Jefferson City, Tennessee; Jeffrey (Linda) Underwood of Orlando, Florida; and Bradley (Nicki) Underwood of Windermere, Florida. Greg is also survived by five nieces and nephews, Joshua Minto, Zachary Minto, Danielle Chojnacki, Benjamin Chojnacki, and Hannah Chojnacki, and by four great-nieces. He is survived by very special dear friends Charlie Day of Hickory, North Carolina; LeAnn Rice and family of Hendersonville, North Carolina; and Rhonda Maundy and family of Matthews, North Carolina. The family wishes to thank Charlie, LeAnn, and Rhonda, and also pastor Ed Thomas and the congregation of The Spirit of Joy Church, for their individual and collective relentless loving care of Greg as he fought his cancer through many chemo treatments, four major surgeries, and several trial drug treatments over a 4-plus year struggle. Greg will be remembered for his deep love of family and friends, his Christian service to others, his dedication to music and the teaching of music, his dry wit and humor, his great intellect, and his love of nature and the outdoors. A memorial service is being planned at The Spirit of Joy Church in Matthews, NC, and the Heritage Funeral Home of Mathews, NC is in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Cancer Society.

Charlotte Bronze Handbell Ensemble is excited to announce their December lineup!  On December 1-3, CBHE will be performing holiday tunes at the Fourth Ward Holiday Home Tour.  On December 16-18, the Ensemble will perform their holiday concert, Welcome Yule!, at three locations around the Charlotte region.  Details for all of the concerts and events are below!

Charlotte Bronze Handbell Ensemble is excited to host a one-day handbell workshop under the baton of composer & conductor Tim Waugh!  The workshop will take place at First United Methodist Church in Hickory, North Carolina on Saturday, October 14 from 8:30am – 5:30pm.

The workshop will include reading new music and working on pieces for the Advent/Christmas season.  Cost is $35 per person and includes lunch.  All registration forms and payments are due by October 1, 2017.

Two “mass ring” pieces should be ordered and worked on ahead of the Workshop.  These will be in addition to the sight-reading that will be done at the Workshop.  The two pieces to pre-order are Angel’s Jubilee by Linda Lamb and For the Beauty of the Earth by Brian Childers.

For more information , click here for the workshop flyer!  Click the link below to fill out an online form to register!

Don’t forget that Charlotte Bronze Handbell Ensemble is hosting open auditions tonight, Monday, August 28, from 6:30 – 8:30pm.  Auditions will be held for the 2017-2018 Ensemble at First United Methodist Church in Charlotte at 501 N Tryon Street.  Please email president@charlottebronze.org with any questions!

CBHE was saddened to hear of the passing of ringer Amy-Leigh Mack on Monday, July 24.  Amy-Leigh played in the Charlotte Bronze Handbell Ensemble and also served as our Librarian.  We will miss our dear friend, fellow ringer, and dedicated supporter.

For the full obituary, please click here.

On Monday, June 26, Charlotte Bronze Handbell Ensemble is excited to perform at the Opening Concert for Junaluska Music & Worship Arts Week.  The concert takes place at 7:30pm at Lake Junaluska, 20 Chapel Drive, NC 28745.

Junaluska Music & Worship Arts Week
OPENING CONCERT

*ECLECTIC BRONZE*

Canticle – Arnold Sherman
Agape 1676

A Song of Love – Canon/Hanson arr. Julie Turner
Ring Praise RP7521

Ríu Ríu Chíu – Spanish Villancico – Matthew F. Walicke
Morning Star MSM-30-143

Compassion – Jason Krug
Beckenhorst HB382

Fly Me To the Moon – Bart Howard – arr. Ron Mallory
Jeffers JHS 9533

Take Five – Paul Desmond – Douglas E. Wagner
Warner Bell Pops WBHB 9505

Contemplation on Ubi Caritas – Chant – arr. Catherine McMichael
[Owen Vander Haar – Treble ]
AGEHR AG36036

Meditation on Beautiful Savior – Silesian Folk Tune – Cathy Moklebust
Chorister’s Guild CGB175

The Charlotte Bronze Handbell Ensemble is excited to announce three Spring Concerts, featuring the theme Latin, Jazz, & Blues!  All concerts will welcome guest handbell conductor Carlos Rivera from Puerto Rico and guest soloist Lady D from West Virginia.  All concerts are free and open to the public!

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Saturday, May 20, 2017 at 4pm
CBHE Spring Concert — Latin, Jazz, & Blues
Carlos Rivera, Guest Handbell conductor from Puerto Rico
Lady D, Guest soloist from West Virginia
Morning Star Lutheran Church
12509 Idlewild Road, Matthews, NC 28105

Sunday, May 21, 2017 at 7pm
CBHE Spring Concert — Latin, Jazz, & Blues
Carlos Rivera, Guest Handbell conductor from Puerto Rico
Lady D, Guest soloist from West Virginia
First Presbyterian Church
308 W. Fisher Street, Salisbury, NC 28144

Monday, May 22, 2017 at 7pm
CBHE Spring Concert — Latin, Jazz, & Blues
Carlos Rivera, Guest Handbell conductor from Puerto Rico
Lady D, Guest soloist from West Virginia
Myers Park United Methodist Church (parking available in the lot across the street)
1501 Queens Road, Charlotte, NC 28207