Tyler

The East Texas Handbell Ensemble is scheduled to present a Memorial Day concert at 6 p.m. Sunday in the sanctuary of First Presbyterian Church, 230 W. Rusk in Tyler, publicity officials announced.

The free program will be filled with a variety of American music.

ETHE is a professional group and was formed in 1994 to provide ringers in the Tyler area with an opportunity to advance their ringing skills and broaden their knowledge of handbell literature.

Since that time the group has performed numerous concerts throughout the Dallas and East Texas areas as well as other venues across the United States.

In 1996 and 1998 the ensemble rang the opening concerts for the AGEHR (American Guild of Handbell Ringers) Area IX Festival/Conference in San Antonio and the AGEHR Area XI Festival/Conference in Albuquerque, N.M..

In January 2000 ETHE was one of 10 ensembles to give a Showcase Concert during Pinnacle 2000, a handbell event for advanced ringers held in Las Vegas, Nev.

January 2001 and 2003, the ensemble was showcased as the premier concert at the Handbell Exploration in Hershey, Pa., and in June 2002 the group performed concerts in Reno, Nev., Grass Valley and Stockton, California.

The group has also presented concerts in Little Rock and Texarkana, Ark.; Pinnacle 2004 in Dallas; the 2005 HEB Handbell Festival in Hurst and Lombard, River Forest and Downers Grove, Ill.

ETHE has also been feature as the annual Christmas concert on the Tyler Community Concert Association’s concert series for the past four years and has already been invited to appear on the 2008 series.

Dedicated to advancing the art of English Handbell ringing, the group performs on four and a half octaves of Malmark and one octave of Schulmerich bells, seven octaves of Malmark Choirchimes and often incorporates various percussive and woodwind instruments into its performances which help to create the group’s style of musical interpretation.

Equally at home ringing sacred and secular repertoire, ETHE has dedicated a large share of its’ programming to American music, ringing everything from spirituals and folk hymns to ragtime, movie and show tunes.

ETHE’s first CD, “Cafe’ Noel,” was released in the spring of 2005.

In addition to concerts, the group has made demonstration recordings for Hope Publishing, Red River Music, Alfred Publishing Company, Bechenhorst Press and Concordia Publishing House.

For more information call 903-565-4154.

Updated Friday, May 23, 2008 at 4:34 p.m. CDT

PERFORMS MEMORIAL DAY: The East Texas Handbell Ensemble will perform Sunday at 6 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Tyler.
((Courtesy Photo))