VERO BEACH — The Community Concert Series of Vero Beach will present the Regional Hand Bell Festival (2014 Treasure Coast Hand Bell Festival) on Feb. 28 and March 1 at the Community Church of Vero Beach, 1901 23rd St., Vero Beach.
Now in its second year, the Treasure Coast Bell Festival has become a recognized regional festival. Last year’s festival included six area hand bell ensembles who came together to work with a local bell clinician. And in one year’s time, the Festival has doubled in size with 12 ensembles participating, and a nationally revered Hand Bell Director/Clinician will be coming to conduct the festival.
Andrea Headley, Artistic Director of the famed Chicago Bronze hand bell ensemble will be the guest conductor/clinician in residence for the festival.
The Festival will conclude with a concert – free to the public – on Saturday, March 1 at 4 p.m. at the Community Church of Vero Beach. The concert will feature the Atlantic Ringers for the first half, and the second half the full mass choir playing six pieces under the direction of Headley.
More than 80 ringers, 500 hand bells, and 300 hand chimes will gather in the sanctuary of the Community Church for this two-day event to polish their skills under the direction of Headley, and then present the final concert.
Participating Hand bell ensembles from churches in the region include:
- Trinity Episcopal Church (Vero Beach)
- First Presbyterian Church (Vero Beach)
- First United Methodist Church (Vero Beach)
- Our Savior Lutheran Church (Vero Beach)
- First Baptist Church (Vero Beach)
- The Community Church of Vero Beach (Vero Beach)
- The Atlantic Ringers (Vero Beach)
- Sebastian United Methodist Church (Sebastian)
- St. Andrew’s Episcopal Academy Student Ensemble (Fort Pierce)
- First United Methodist Church (Port St. Lucie)
- North Stuart Baptist Church, (Stuart Florida)
- Eastminster Presbyterian Church (Indialantic)
- Trinity United Methodist Church (Jensen Beach)