Charlotte Bronze Handbell Ensemble is excited to announce that open auditions will be held in August 2016, prior to the start of the fall season.
A pre-audition ring through is scheduled for the evening of August 22nd at First Methodist Church in Uptown Charlotte. Auditions will be held the evening of August 29th, also at First United Methodist Church. Please reach out to CBHE President Tina Davis for more information at president@charlottebronze.org.
CBHE members performing at a holiday concert in December 2015.
The Charlotte Bronze Handbell Ensemble, the largest community handbell group in the Piedmont, will perform their free spring concerts on May 21 and May 22, 2016. CBHE will perform on Saturday, May 21 at 4:00 PM at North Raleigh United Methodist Church, 8501 Honeycutt Rd, Raleigh, NC 27615. The following day, on Sunday, May 22 at 4:30 PM, CBHE will perform at Pritchard Memorial Baptist Church, 1117 South Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28203. Both free concerts, “Michael the Archangel” will be directed by Charlotte Bronze’s Artistic Director and Conductor Timothy H Waugh. The concerts are free and open to the public, and families are welcome. Donations to the non-profit group will be accepted.
Twenty-three ringers ranging in age from 16 to 60+ will perform on four sets of bells (Malmark, Schulmerich, Petit and Fritzen and Whitechapel) and two set of chimes (Malmark). The program features the world premiere of “Revelation 12:7: The Archangel Michael and the Dragon” by composer Matthew Prins. This unique piece was written for the Charlotte Bronze Handbell Ensemble and depicts the epic heavenly battle between Michael and the dragon. In addition, the program will include handbell pieces by other composers named “Michael.”
The Charlotte Bronze Handbell Ensemble was founded in March of 2011. Now five years old, the group has already performed in many festivals and events in Charlotte and across the state. They were featured at the NC State Baptist Handbell Festival in 2015. In concert, CBHE presents new music, often in manuscript form, by up and coming handbell composers. The ensemble is available for workshops, classes and concerts.
Charlotte Bronze Handbell Ensemble is embarking on its very first CD project and we need your help! This CD will include many Christmas handbell tunes and some the group’s personal favorites. Producing a CD takes full dedication of all our ringers and we’ve been hard at work polishing each track. Here’s where you come in! Recording, editing, and artwork are the bulk of our expense and are exactly why we are launching this campaign. Any donation you could give, no matter the size, would be greatly appreciated!
We are planning to record in January and will need funds as soon as we begin that process. Please consider donating and supporting our project. This CD promises to be one of a kind! Click here for more information!
Charlotte Bronze Handbell Ensemble is excited to announce that open auditions will be held on Monday evening, January 4, 2016 at First United Methodist Church in Uptown Charlotte. Please check back for more details and a time, or for questions about CBHE auditions, please contact general manager Ed Tompkins at etompkin@aol.com.
The Charlotte Bronze Handbell Ensemble, the largest community handbell group in the Piedmont, will perform their free holiday concerts on December 20 and 21. CBHE will perform on Sunday, December 20 at 4:30 PM in the Family Life Center Gym at Morning Star Lutheran Church, 12509 Idlewild Road, Matthews, NC. The following day, on Monday, December 21 at 7:00 PM, CBHE will perform in the sanctuary at First United Methodist Church at 501 N. Tryon Street in Charlotte, NC. The “Welcome, Yule” concerts will be directed by Charlotte Bronze’s Artistic Director and Conductor Timothy H Waugh. The concerts are free and open to the public, and families are welcome. A free-will offering will be received to support the ongoing mission of Charlotte Bronze Handbell Ensemble.
Twenty-two ringers ranging in age from 15 to 60+ will perform on four sets of bells (two sets of Malmark, one set of Schulmerich and one set of Whitechapel) and two set of handchimes (both Malmark). The program will include old favorites such as “Silent Night” and “Sleigh Ride,” as well as newer arrangements of “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” and “Carol of the Three Kings.”
The Charlotte Bronze Handbell Ensemble includes two community handbell groups and was founded in March of 2011. Just five years old, the group has already performed in many festivals and events in Charlotte and across the state.
Charlotte Bronze Handbell Ensemble is pleased to present “Christmas at St. Germaine,” an evening of short stories and Christmas music featuring noted author Mark Schweizer on Sunday, December 6, at 7:00 PM. The evening of music, stories and dessert will be at McGill Baptist Church, 5300 Poplar Tent Road, Concord, NC 28027. Dr. Schweizer has written 13 books featuring the fictional town of St. Germaine, NC and the town’s police chief and Episcopal church choirmaster, Hayden Konig. Come enjoy the funny anecdotes of life in St. Germaine while you feast on Christmas dessert and listen to Christmas selections from the Charlotte Bronze Handbell Ensemble. You never know which characters from St. Germaine may pop in for a visit!
Tickets can be purchased in advance by contacting the Charlotte Bronze Handbell Ensemble’s general manager Ed Tompkins at 704.847.4502 or emailing the group at charlottebronze@elitemail.org. Preferred “Ring-side” seating is $25 a ticket, while general admission tickets are $20. Proceeds from ticket sales will support Charlotte Bronze Handbell Ensemble.
In addition to enjoying Christmas music played on handbells and handchimes, this is a chance to meet author Mark Schweizer. In 1974, Mark, a brand-new high-school graduate decided to eschew the family architectural business and become an opera singer. Against all prevailing wisdom and despite jokes from his peers such as “What does the music major say after his first job interview?” (answer: You want fries with that?), he enrolled in the Music School at Stetson University. To his father, the rationale was obvious. No math requirement.
Everything happens for a reason, however, and he now lives and works as a musician, composer, author and publisher in Tryon, North Carolina with his lovely wife, Donis. If anyone finds out what he’s up to, he’ll have to go back to work at Mr. Steak. He actually has a bunch of degrees, including a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Arizona. I know! What were they thinking?
In the field of bad writing, Mark had the distinction of receiving a Dishonorable Mention in the 2006 BULWER-LYTTON FICTION CONTEST, an annual contest in which the entrants compete for the dubious honor of having composed the worst opening sentence to an imaginary novel. In 2007, his sentence now found on page 17 of The Mezzo Wore Mink was runner-up in the Detective Category. This, and two other of his entries, were featured in It Was A Dark and Stormy Night: A Collection of the Worst Fiction Ever Written, edited by Scott Rice and published by The Friday Project.
In varying stages of his career, Mark has waited tables, written articles for Collegehumor.com, won opera competitions, sung oratorios, taught in college music departments, raised pot-bellied pigs and hedgehogs, directed church choirs, sung the bass solo to Beethoven’s 9th with the Atlanta Symphony, hosted a classical music radio show, taught in a seminary, sung recitals, started a regional opera company, published choral music, built a log cabin, written opera librettos, directed stage productions, helped his wife to raise their two children and managed to remain married for thirty-seven years. He also owns several chainsaws.
Well, Donis says, it’s never boring.
Mark Schweizer describes the start of liturgical mystery series as, “In the fall of 2001, I began what I hoped would be a funny little book about an Episcopal choir director/ detective that had a flair for bad writing. Now, fourteen years later, that book, The Alto Wore Tweed, is still getting laughs and the rest of the books (bad writing aside) are winning awards and working hard to catch up. Thanks to you, the Hayden Konig adventures continue to make their way into the hands of mystery lovers and across church choirs, one reader and singer at a time.”
CALLING ALL INTERMEDIATE AND ADVANCED HANDBELL MUSICIANS:
AUDITIONS FOR CHARLOTTE BRONZE HANDBELL ENSEMBLE
Timothy H Waugh, artistic director and conductor
Anyone interested in ringing with Charlotte Bronze either for Fall/Christmas 2015 and/or Winter/Spring 2016 needs to attend auditions on Monday, August 24, from 7 – 9 PM at Morning Star Lutheran Church, 12509 Idlewild Road, Matthews, NC 28105. Auditions consist of sight-reading new handbell music, level 3+ to level 6, in varied positions (treble, battery, bass, and low bass). Questions about the ensemble or auditions can be addressed to General Manager Ed Tompkins at etompkin@aol.com
Important notes:
On Saturday, September 19, 2015, Charlotte Bronze Handbell Ensemble will hold a Beginner’s Handbell Workshop with Guest Conductor Timothy H Waugh in Charlotte, NC.
For more information and the PDF brochure, please click here.
CBHE is excited to announce our fifth year of annual spring concerts. A free-will offering received at both concerts to support CBHE’s programs.
“Eclectic Bronze”
Charlotte Bronze Handbell Ensemble
Timothy H Waugh, Conductor and Artistic Director
Saturday, May 16 at 7:00 PM
Mt. Zion United Methodist Church
Family Life Center
19600 Zion Avenue Cornelius, NC 28031
Sunday, May 17 at 7:00 PM
First United Methodist Church
Sanctuary
501 North Tryon Street Charlotte, NC 28202
Admission is free.
CBHE was honored to lead the 2015 NC Baptist PraisRing last weekend, April 17-18, in Greensboro, North Carolina. PraisRing was held at the Koury Convention Center. Timothy H Waugh, CBHE’s Artistic Director and Conductor and Edmund F. Tompkins, CBHE’s General Manager were the clinicians, and personnel from CBHE taught classes and assisted. A special mini-concert by CBHE was offered at 10:30am on Saturday in the Guildford Ballroom was open the public.
CBHE members Karen Shuford and Greg Underwood teach a small ensemble class in Greensboro on April 17, 2015.
Part of the setup at the Koury Convention Center for 2015 NC Baptist PraisRing.
Charlotte Bronze Handbell Ensemble 