Thursday Music Club Hosts Handbell Festival
ZANESVILLE, Ohio – Handbell choirs from six area churches gathered
at Grace United Methodist Church in Zanesville tonight to spread a
little Christmas cheer. Chuck Archer, with The Thursday Music Club,
says the organization held its 30th Annual Zanesville
Handbell Festival as a way to give back to the community.
“The Thursday
Music Club sponsors some music events in the area and scholarships
and things like that. One of the annual events that it sponsors is
the Annual Zanesville Area Handbell Festival. This in fact is our
30th Annual Handbell Festival where handbell choirs from
churches, schools, wherever are invited to participate in what is
called a massed ring—where all the handbell choirs together ring
the same music.”
Lee Afdahl, of
Minnesota, served as guest conductor for the evening; after filling
the same role five years ago. Afdahl says he was excited to return to
Muskingum County for the festival.
“As I told the
ringers earlier today, it’s always a compliment to be invited back
to a place and five years ago I wrote a composition for this event
and people have been enjoying that at bell festivals across the
country and across the world since then. So, this organization helps
bring forward that idea.”
The Thursday Music
Club will host another concert event on December 15 at the Central
Trinity United Methodist Church in Zanesville.
