Westminster Concert Bell Choir Will Perform Three Holiday Concerts
(Princeton, N.J. November 15, 2004)
The Westminster Concert Bell Choir, conducted by Kathleen Ebling-Thorne, will present the first of three holiday concerts on Saturday, December 4, 2004, at 8 p.m. in Bristol Chapel on the campus of Westminster Choir College of Rider University in Princeton. The ensemble will also perform Sunday, December 5, 2004 at 4 p.m. and at 8 p.m.
This is the Westminster Concert Bell Choir’s first holiday concert in Princeton in three years. The program will focus on the themes of music of the Nativity and Christmas memories. It will include such works as It Came upon a Midnight Clear, Farandole from the L’Arlesienne Suite, Marche from The Nutcracker Suite, Up On the Housetop, and White Christmas.
Hailed for its virtuosity, the Westminster Concert Bell Choir uses the largest range of handbells in the world. It has appeared on Public Television’s “Mister Rogers Neighborhood” and several holiday broadcasts of the “Today Show.” Its holiday performances have been heard annually on National Public Radio’s ‘Performance Today,” and it is included on NPR’s Christmas Around the Country II recording. The Choir made its Carnegie Hall debut in December 2000. In December 2002 the ensemble joined Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Charlotte Church and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra for a critically acclaimed 15-city tour entitled “A Royal Christmas.” The Choir has made five recordings: Westminster Concert Bell Choir, Christmas Bells, Westminster Rings!, Praise and Adoration, and Christmas at Westminster: The Westminster Concert Bell Choir.
Director of the Westminster Concert Bell Choir, Kathleen Ebling-Thorne is a graduate of Westminster Choir College of Rider University. She is a member of the sacred music department at Westminster, where she teaches classes in handbell training and conducts a second handbell choir. Ms. Ebling-Thorne is also director of sales and marketing at Malmark, Inc. - Bellcraftsmen in Plumsteadville, Pa.
Well known as a handbell clinician, Ms. Ebling-Thorne has conducted sessions for the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers both on the local and national levels. Other engagements have included sessions for the American Guild of Organists, Music Educators National Conferences; the New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Texas Music Educators Conferences; Presbyterian Association of Musicians Conferences, the St. Olaf Church Music Conference, the Eighth International Handbell Symposium in Japan, the Ninth International Handbell Symposium in England and the Tenth International Handbell Symposium in Korea.
Tickets for these performances are $20 for adults and $15 for senior citizens and students. For reservations call the box-office at 609-921-2663. The Westminster box-office is located in Williamson Hall on the Campus of Westminster Choir College, on the corner of Hamilton Avenue and Walnut Lane in Princeton. For more information about Westminster performances go to http://westminster.rider.edu.
Kathleen Ebling Thorne will conduct the Westminster Concert Bell Choir in three holiday concerts at Westminster Choir College of Rider University in December. The first performance is on Saturday, December 4, 2004, at 8 p.m., followed by two additional performances on Sunday, December 5, 2004 at 4 p.m. and at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for senior citizens and students. For reservations call the box-office at 609-921-2663. The Westminster box-office is located in Williamson Hall on the Campus of Westminster Choir College, on the corner of Hamilton Avenue and Walnut Lane in Princeton.
