The Tabor College Handbell Choir will be among the groups performing at the community-wide Thanksgiving Service and Fall Festival Concert, “With Praise and Thanksgiving”, beginning at 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22, at the Hillsboro Mennonite Brethren Church, 300 Prairie Point, in Hillsboro, Kan.
The event, co-sponsored by Tabor and the Hillsboro Area Ministerial Association, will feature a variety of groups and soloists from the Tabor Music Department. Admission is free with a donation of a non-perishable food item for Main Street Ministries. A freewill offering will also be taken for the work of the Ministerial Alliance.
The Handbell Choir will be playing the Christmas favorite, “Do You Hear What I Hear?” directed by Dr. Richard Cantwell, Director of Instrumental Music and Chair of the Music Department.
The Tabor College Handbell Choir began in 2003 with a significant donation from Dr. Don and Connie Isaac to purchase the first 2-octave set. The third octave was added through a generous donation from the Sam Regier Family in memory of Sam’s mother, Katharina Friesen Regier, an early Tabor College music faculty member.
According to Cantwell, handbell ringing requires a unique combination of musicianship, eye-hand coordination and personal focus. He recommends Handbell Choir participation for Tabor students planning to serve in the area of church music either as a vocation or a service.
“Many churches have handbell sets with a lack of skilled volunteers to lead them,” Cantwell said. “Tabor is fortunate to have a group of fine musicians willing to fit the Handbell Ensemble into their busy academic schedules.”
The Handbell Choir played during worship services held Sunday, Nov. 8, at Community Bible Church in Abilene, Kan., the home church of senior handbell choir member Andrea Kuntz. On Tuesday, Nov. 10, the choir performed for 125 residents and family members at Showalter Villa, in Hesston, Kan., where senior member Janae Rempel’s grandmother resides.
Unlike an orchestra or choir in which each musician is responsible for one line of the texture, a handbell ensemble acts as one instrument, with each musician responsible for sounding his or her assigned bells whenever that note appears in the music.
“Handbells is the type of group where everyone needs to be there, each part is so important,” said Sarah Friesen, a sophomore from Guthrie, Okla. “The Hesston audience was unique in that so many people either had played handbells or had a relative or friend that is a handbell player. It was a fun experience.”
Sally Epp, a freshman from Gilter, Neb., agreed, saying, “I enjoy handbells, it’s a new experience. After playing the piano for many years, it’s like starting over on a new instrument, and you learn to laugh at your mistakes.”
In addition to Kuntz, Remple, Friesen and Epp, other member of the Tabor College Handbell Choir include Katheryn Camp, Debbie Miller, Emily Olson, Emily Schmidt and Heidi Versaw.
HILLSBORO, Kan. — Everyone is invited to attend the community-wide Thanksgiving Service and Fall Festival Concert, “With Praise and Thanksgiving”, beginning at 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22, at the Hillsboro Mennonite Brethren Church, 300 Prairie Point, in Hillsboro, Kan.
The event is co-sponsored by Tabor College and the Hillsboro Area Ministerial Association and will feature concert performances by a variety of groups and soloists from the Tabor Music Department. Admission is free with a donation of a non-perishable food item for Main Street Ministries. A freewill offering will also be taken for the work of the Ministerial Alliance.
“The goal of the ministerial association is for churches of the community to fellowship together and work together to meet the needs of people in our community,” said Rev. Gaylord Goertzen, chair of the ministerial association and pastor of the Ebenfeld Mennonite Brethren Church. “Tabor College is an important part of our community and we are thrilled to have a joint Fall Festival and Thanksgiving service with Tabor.”
According to Dr. Richard Cantwell, Professor of Instrumental Music and Chair of the Music Department, the Community Thanksgiving Service has traditionally been an opportunity for members of the Hillsboro community to worship and count their blessings together. Musicians from Tabor College are eager to add their musical talents and songs of praise to this year’s festivities.
“In partnering with the Ministerial Association and the Tabor College Music Department, the celebration is energized by the broader participation of the city and the college,” Cantwell said. “The food items and offering raised will continue to support the compassionate ministries of the Ministerial Association.”
Under Cantwell’s direction, the Symphonic Band will play selections from the holiday favorite Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Suite” with accompanying visuals. The Trombone Choir will be featured in a couple of selections, and the Handbell Choir will be playing the Christmas favorite, “Do You Hear What I Hear?”
The Concert Choir, under the direction of Dr. Brad Vogel, Professor of Choral Music, will perform a number of seasonal selections with a variety of instrumentation, including student violinists Mary Goering and Julie Wiens, oboist Corina Neufeld, and vocal soloists Kayla Vix and David Vogel.
“We are looking forward to partnering with the Hillsboro Ministerial Alliance in this concert of praise and thanksgiving,” Dr. Vogel said. “The mission of Tabor College fits well with the ministry of this organization, and allows the arts at Tabor to be both featured and a source of service in the community.”
The Ta
bor College Symphonic Band, including the Jazz Band, Flute Ensemble and Bluejays’ Pep Band, will perform a series of free public concerts in Oklahoma during its annual Spring Tour, April 23 to 27, 2009.
According to Dr. Richard Cantwell, Director of the Symphonic Band and instrumental ensembles, a variety of music will be performed at different venues, beginning with the group’s first performance, at 7 p.m., Thursday, April 23, at the Mennonite Brethren Church, in Fairview, Okla.
“Providing a wide variety of music for the audience and the ability to play many different styles for the audience’s enjoyment is a goal and desire of each individual and the group,” said Cantwell, who is in his 11th year of directing music at the college and also serves as Chairman of the Music Department.
“Instrumental music has a very different effect on its audience than piano or choral music,” Cantwell added. “The variety in timbres is greater and individually unique. The contrast in musical style is broader and more diverse. The resonances are thin and thick in nature. The dynamic levels are various and can become overwhelming.”
This year the band is featuring student soloists Corina Neufeld, oboist, from Denver, Colo.; marimba players Lisa Hall, McPherson, Kan., and Joel McCoy, Olathe, Kan.; and, trumpet player Eric Funk, Littleton, Colo.
The Symphonic Band members are selected by audition and come from across the United States. The Jazz Band and Flute Ensemble members are selected from members of the Symphonic Band.
The Jazz Band will be performing a variety of “Big Band” and “Swing Band” selections. The Flute Ensemble literature will be selected from classical and sacred selections.
“The ensemble members are individually fine players, but combining the individual abilities into a fine performance organization is an enjoyable and rewarding challenge,” Cantwell said. “Making beautiful music, making energizing music, making music fun and enjoyable are all desires of the ensemble.”
Other performances include:
* Friday, April 24, Memorial Road Mennonite Brethren Church in Edmond, Okla., at 7 p.m.
* Saturday, April 25, Oklahoma National Memorial, in Oklahoma City, followed by an evening concert at the Corn Mennonite Brethren Church, in Corn, Okla.
* Sunday, April 26, the band will provide music during the morning worship service at the church in Corn. After a lunch at the church, the band will travel to Enid, Okla., for a concert at the Enid Mennonite Brethren Church, at 6:00 pm.
* Monday, April 27, the ensembles will perform at the Oklahoma Bible Academy, Enid, Okla., before returning home to Hillsboro.
Upon returning to Hillsboro, the band will perform its Home Concert at 4 p.m., Sunday, May 3, in the College Chapel-Auditorium.
Dr. Cantwell holds a Doctorate in Music Arts Degree in Instrumental and Choral Conducting from the Conservatory of Music in Kansas City having worked extensively with Dr. Glenn Block and Dr. Eph Ehly. He is married to Dr. Linda Cantwell, Vice President of Enrollment and Marketing at Tabor College.
Celebrating its 100th year, Tabor College is a four-year Christian liberal arts institution located in Hillsboro, Kan., with a second campus, the School for Adult and Graduate Studies, in Wichita, Kan. Visit us at www.tabor.edu.
To learn more about the Tabor College Music Programs, visit http://www.tabor.edu/undergraduate/academic-programs/music.
Tabor College Concert Band
DaQuon Anderson, Ardmore, Okla., Trombone; Hanna Bishop, Hays, Kan., Bass Clarinet; Timothy Butler, Hillsboro, Kan., Percussion; Andrew Corl, Abilene, Kan., Baritone; Heather Deckert, Minot, N.D., Clarinet; Emily Dick, Kingman, Kan., Clarinet; Erin Dick, Corn, Okla., Alto Saxophone; Meghann Eblen, Leavenworth, Kan., Bassoon/Baritone; Darren Enns, Hillsboro, Kan., Trombone; Aaron Epp, Henderson, Neb., Trombone; Ben Friesen, Guthrie, Okla., Baritone Saxophone; Mitch Friesen, Newton, Kan., Percussion; Sarah Friesen, Guthrie, Okla., Flute; Eric Funk, Littleton, Colo., Trumpet; Katie Gerber, Wichita, Kan., Flute; Steven Gramza, Olathe, Kan., Double Bass; Lisa Hall, McPherson, Kan., Percussion; Jeff Harden, Ashland, Kan., Trombone; Melissa Just, DeSoto, Kan., Flute; Alyssa King, Wichita, Kan., Flute; Shawn Malone, Junction City, Kan., Percussion; Joel McCoy, Olathe, Kan., Percussion; Corina Neufeld, Denver, Colo., Oboe; Andrew Pankratz, Abilene, Kan., French Horn; Jenae Pauls, Inman, Kan., Flute; Janae Rempel, Meade, Kan., Clarinet; Elissa Richert, Hillsboro, Kan., Contrabass Clarinet; Amy Schmidt, Corn, Okla., Flute; Emily Schmidt, Bel Aire, Kan., Flute; Aaron Stepanek, Hillsboro, Kan., Trumpet; Megan Souter, Fairview, Okla., Flute; Kayla Tonne, Ashland, Kan., Flute; Allison Trollope, Kingman, Kan., Alto Saxophone; Kelsey Unruh, Hillsboro, Kan., Alto Saxophone; Travis Unruh, Shafter, Calif., Trumpet; Mattie Vance, Concordia, Kan., Clarinet; David Vogel, Hillsboro, Kan., Trombone; Brandon Voth, Lynden, Wash., Clarinet; Danae Warkentin, Corn, Okla., Clarinet; Julie Wiens, Fresno, Calif., Percussion/Piano; Stephanie Wiens, Fresno, Calif., Flute/Piccolo; Briana Willems, Sedgwick, Kan., Percussion; and, Allen Yoder, Kingman, Kan., Trumpet.
