Baylor Handbells Ring on April 21

by Richard Veit

The Baylor University Handbell Choir will present its annual spring concert at 6 p.m. Tuesday in Meadows Recital Hall. This nine-member ensemble performs under the direction of Debra L. Jackson, music associate/organist of Columbus Avenue Baptist Church in Waco.
The program will open with "A Festive Chime" by Douglas E. Wagner. The arrangements of four classical pieces will be played -- Alton R. Kindred's setting of "Sheep May Safely Graze" by Johann Sebastian Bach; the Raymond H. Herbek transcription of the first movement from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's "Eine kleine Nachtmusik;" John H. Muschick's arrangement of the familiar "Liebestraum No. 3" by Franz Liszt; and a setting by Kevin McChesney and Michael Kastner of George Frideric Handel's "The Rejoicing."
Appearing as soloist in the Liszt piece will be oboist Gary West. The Handel selection will be sung by soprano Julie McKown.
Following intermission, the ringers will perform Gary Brubaker's "Fanfare for a New Day" and then "Praise Him with Cymbals and Drums" by Hart Morris -- the latter featuring percussionists Eric Labao, Jason Medlin and Cary Stewart.
The concert will conclude with Mary Kay Parrish's "Gambol," Valerie W. Stephenson's "Jurana" and Douglas E. Wagner's arrangement of the Harry Warren medley, "Broadway." This medley includes a quartet of enduring standards: "Lullaby of Broadway," "Forty-Second Street," "We're in the Money" and "Give My Regards to Broadway."
Tuesday's concert by the Baylor Handbell Choir is free of charge and open to the public.