March 19, 2022

The Music Ministry of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Lee’s Summit continues its 2021-2022 concert series, welcoming Kansas City Bronze, a select community ensemble of 15 musicians ringing 60 English handbells and 60 choir chimes. The bell choir will be joined by John Schaefer as guest organist. Schaefer is the retired Canon Musician of the Grace & Holy Trinity Cathedral in Kansas City. Additional collaborating musicians include trumpeter Keith Benjamin, flutist Erica Seago, and percussionist Sean Sweeden. There will be one performance only, Sunday, March 20, 4:00 PM, in the Apostle’s Chapel of the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 416 SE Grand Avenue in downtown Lee’s Summit. Admission is free and the public is invited. A wine and cookie reception will follow the concert, provided by the Friends of St. Paul’s Music.

Kansas City Bronze is in its third concert season under the leadership of Music Director William O. Baker, and Associate Music Director Gabe Combs. Baker is also Music Director for the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, having been appointed to the post in September 2020. The fifteen members of Kansas City Bronze include musicians who serve as directors of bell choirs, professional singers and instrumentalists, music educators in both Kansas and Missouri, and experienced avocational musicians. Kansas City Bronze has performed for civic and holiday events, concertized throughout the Kansas City region, and appeared on the nationally released recording, The Heart Worships at Christmas, on the Amber Waves Sound Recordings label. Kansas City Bronze has been recognized with a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, presented through the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission.

The one-hour program includes favorite hymn and folk songs in thrilling settings for bells, chime and other instruments, including The Is My Father’s World, Be Still My Soul, Greensleeves, and Star of the County Down. Concert pieces include works of the most respected contemporary writers of handbell music, including Cathy Moklebust, Arnold Sherman, Fred Gramann, William Payn and Linda McKechnie.

The Music Ministry of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church is one of the busiest parish music programs in the Kansas City region through monthly concert events and music-oriented worship services. Recent popular events have included a December performance of Handel’s Messiah, and a February performance Robert Ray’s The Gospel Mass in celebration of Black History Month. On Sunday, April 10, The St. Paul Choir and Chamber Orchestra will perform Holy Week cantatas of Dietrich Buxtehude and Johann Sebastian Bach.

For information about the performance by Kansas City Bronze on March 20, please call 816-524-3651 or email [email protected].