The Raleigh Ringers, an internationally acclaimed, advanced community handbell choir, will return to State College on Saturday.
The concert, presented by the State College Choral Society to kick off its 75th anniversary season, will begin at 7 p.m. in the State College Area High School Performance Hall, 650 Westerly Parkway.
The Raleigh, North Carolina, based group is directed by David M. Harris, a 1982 Pennsylvania State University graduate who grew up in Lock Haven and was instrumental in the formation of the group in 1990. The Raleigh Ringers has performed several times in State College, most recently in 2017. This concert will feature the group’s unique interpretations of sacred, secular and popular music, including its signature rock ’n’ roll pieces.
The Raleigh Ringers performs on one of the most extensive collections of bells and bell-like instruments owned by any handbell ensemble in the world. The current grand total is 35 octaves composed of 377 individual pieces of equipment.
The Raleigh Ringers has released eight CDs, and two DVDs of holiday concerts titled “One Winter Evening at Meymandi” and “A December Tradition.” Two one-hour concert specials were created from the first DVD and broadcast on over 250 American Public Television stations in 45 states. A new one-hour holiday special based on the second DVD aired over 400 times in 38 states in its first year of national distribution and was nominated for a regional Emmy award.
The group has performed in 39 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, England and France during its tours, and plays two engagements each year at a major venue in Raleigh. The Raleigh Ringers also sponsors an annual festival for adult ringers, an annual festival for youth and less experienced ringers, biannual sight-reading sessions for those interested in new handbell music, a biennial performance experience for advanced ringers, and handbell techniques classes several times a year.
General admission tickets are $20 and may be obtained at the door or online at the State College Choral Society website at scchoralsociety.org.
