There’s nothing quite quintessentially Christmas than the lovely ringing of bells.
Not the ones clanking next to the red pots in front of the mall, mind you, but a chorus of handbells, chiming in harmony.
That’s what you will experience with the Sonoran Bells, Tucson’s premier community handbell ensemble that will perform a pair of holiday concerts this weekend.
Sonoran Bells has been around since 1999. It is comprised of musicians, teachers, engineers, numbers crunchers and other professionals. They are chosen by audition and they have cultivated a reputation for excellence that goes beyond performing holiday concerts. The ensemble performs throughout the year and holds workshops for other handbell choirs in town.
This weekend Sonoran Bells will employ their musical arsenal — a five-octave set of Malmark handbells, a five-octave set of Malmark Choirchimes, a three-octave set of Whitechapel handbells and a three-octave set of Petit-Fritsen handbells — for “Ring in the Season.” The group will perform the concert of traditional Christmas carols and contemporary holiday songs twice this weekend:
- 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11, at Tucson Baptist Temple, 1525 S. Columbus Blvd.; $15 suggested donation at the door.
- 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 13, in collaboration with Vista Fine Arts, at Vista De La Montaña United Methodist Church, 3001 E. Miravista Lane in Cataliona; free, but donations will be accepted.
Details: sonoranbells.org
