March 18, 2023

Kansas City Bronze, a community handbell ensemble that performs on 120 chimes and handbells, is returning to Lee’s Summit for a performance at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 416 SE Grand Avenue. There will be one performance on Sunday, March 26, 4:00 p.m., in the Apostles Chapel of the church in downtown Lee’s Summit. Admission is $10 at the door or online at ChoralFoundation.org/concerts.

Kansas City Bronze is led by founder and music director William O. Baker and associate music director Gabe Combs. Dr. Baker is also music director for St. Paul’s Church, leading a very active program of music and outreach there since his arrival in 2020. Gabe Combs is an associate pastor for music and worship at the Countryside Christian Church in Mission, Kansas.

Kansas City Bronze has grown dramatically since its inaugural season in 2019-2020. The group has added more and more bells and advanced equipment. The personnel of the group has grown to include musicians with significant professional experience, including a number of ringers who serve as bell ensemble directors in church and school positions. Paul Horsley, in The Independent Magazine recently called Kansas City Bronze “…one of Kansas City’s elite handbell ensembles.”

The one hour program will include festive arrangements of favorite hymns, including “Praise to the Lord,” At the Name of Jesus” and “Be Thou My Vision,” the latter played entirely on chimes. There are additional selections by some of today’s leading composers of handbell music, including William Payn, Cathy Moklebust, and Karen Lakey Buckwalter. A number of the selections to be performed were written for some of the nation’s leading handbell groups such as Raleigh Ringers, the Westminster Concert Ringers and Ring of Fire.

The concert will be followed by a wine and cookie reception provided by the Friends of St. Paul’s Music.

For information, please email Mail@FestivalSingers.org or call 913-488-7524.