Greater Puget Sound Handbell Festival - Just a Closer Walk with Thee - and rep

[Long...@aol.com]

We just used this piece in the Greater Puget Sound Handbell Festival...and the ringers all enjoyed it. I added a little soft-shoe choreography with the right mallet crossing over the left mallet - as one would do with feet.

 

"Valerie Stephenson's arrangement of Just a Closer Walk makes nice use of sounds that can be made with part of the handbell equipment - Mallets to pads, mallet shafts clicked against each other."

 

The entire Rep was nicely balanced and the concert went very well. Great to reconnect with a Park Service friend, Galen - who now rings, after 30 years; and to meet Tim D., see Alice, Marlene, Jennifer (thanks SO much!), Vanessa, Bryant, Shirley and many others..... Four cousins who live in the area came to the concert, and one (for whom it was a first experience with bells) said, "I forgot where I was during one of the pieces." The music filled him up. Very cool.

 

Kath Wissinger

 

-----------------------------------------------

 

Here's the Rep:

 

OLYMPICS (Tins)
“Enter With Joy” by Kathleen Wissinger, 3-5 octaves, Level 2
                Publisher: Alfred Publishing Inc.; Handbell Part AP25342
 
“Scherzetto” by Jill Fedon, 3-5 octaves, Level 2
                Publisher: AGEHR; Handbell Part AG35309
 
CASCADES (Coppers)
“Simple Gifts” arr. Kathleen Wissinger, 3-6 octaves, Level 3
                Publisher: SoundForth Publications; Handbell Part SF279133
 
“My Song in the Night” arr. Anna Laura Page, 3-5 octaves, Level 3 (with flute)
                Publisher: Choristers Guild; Handbell Part CGB724
 
MASSED
“A Mighty Fortress” arr. Kathleen Wissinger, 3 or 5 octaves, Level 3
                Publisher: From the Top; 3 Octave Handbell Part 20299-3; 5 Octave Handbell Part 20299-5
 
“Just a Closer Walk” arr. Valerie Stephenson, 3-6 octaves, Level 3
                Publisher: Choristers Guild; Handbell Part CBG753
 
“Te Deum Laudamus” by Cathy Moklebust, 3-5 octaves, Level 3+ (with percussion)
                Publisher: Choristers Guild; Handbell Part CGB729; Full Score with Instruments CGB728
 
RAINIER CHOIR (Bronze) - directed by Shirley Lindberg
“Nocturnal Fantasy” by Emily Li, 3-6 octaves, Level 4+
                Publisher: Choristers Guild; CGB731
 
“Capriccio” by Kevin McChesney, 3-5 octaves, Level 5
                Publisher: AGEHR; AG35131