HOLIDAY HANDBELLS: THE RALEIGH RINGERS

The Raleigh Ringers, an internationally acclaimed community handbell choir based in Raleigh, North Carolina, present the sequel to their critically acclaimed holiday special, One Winter Evening at Meymandi.HOLIDAY HANDBELLS runs the gamut of song selections from old yuletide favorites to Vince Guaraldi's A Charlie Brown Christmasscore and other sounds of the season. Highlights include: a lighthearted take on "Flight of the Bumblebee," the solemn French carol "Pat-a-pan," "March of the Toys" from the operetta Babes in Toyland,Chopin's "Valse Brilliante," and an instrumental version of "Silent Night." In between, director and conductor David Harris explains the centuries-old history of handbells, the variety of bells and bell-like instruments used, and the teamwork required to perform a piece.