Department of Music presents
the Ringers in concert April 25

April 13, 2005--The Department of Music at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro will present the Ringers in concert Monday, April 25, at 7:30 p.m. in Riceland Hall of Fowler Center, 201 Olympic Drive.

The handbell choir is under the direction of Dr. M. Ellis Julien, professor of music. The choir will be ringing five octaves of Schulmerich handbells and four octaves of Malmark handchimes. A special feature of the spring concert will be the premiere performance of a composition by one of the members of the ensemble.

Established in 1985, the ASU Ringers is a small ensemble open to members of the student body as well as to members of the faculty and the community. Although most of the students are music majors, several other academic majors are also represented.

Over the past 10 years the Ringers have toured throughout the state of Arkansas and have presented concerts in Alabama, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas.  This spring, their tour extended from March 3 through March 6 and included concerts in Jonesboro, England, North Little Rock, Dardanelle, and Rogers.

The program for the spring concert features a variety of sacred compositions as well as several concert pieces. The following compositions will be performed:  “Great is Thy Faithfulness” by Cynthia Dobrinski; “Broken for Yo”’ by Kathleen Wissinger; “The Water is Wide” by Valerie Stephenson; “Largo,” a movement from Vivaldi concerto arranged for bells and classical guitar by Kevin McChesney; “The Lord’s Prayer” by Albert Hay Malotte arranged by Cynthia Dobrinski; “Peace I leave With You” by Gregory Norbet O.S.B., arranged by John Wilson; “Glockenchorspass” by Sharon Cheek; “Reverberation” by Sallie Lloyd; “Kyrie and Hosanna” by Mary McCleary; “Festive Fanfare,” by Arnold Sherman, and “Carillon” by Carly Gorman.

Members of the choir include: Tina Bennett of Jonesboro; Dr. David Gilmore and Dr. Diane Gilmore of the biological sciences faculty; Carly Gorman of Little Rock; Jennifer Hall of Tyronza; Ben Light of West Ridge; Amy Marr of Jonesboro; Charity McKeen of DeQueen; Charles Pattison of Little Rock; Caroline Sampson of Huntsville, Ala.; Ashley Tidwell of Sherwood, on bells.

Additional members are: Justin Dugger of Batesville and Thomas Head of Little Rock, on guitar; Rusty Shield of Jonesboro, tenor soloist and organizer of small ensemble; Carolyn Smith of Huntsville, Ala., assistant conductor.

The concert is free and open to the public. For more details, please call the Department of Music at (870) 972-2094.

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