Community Arts

We achieved our artistic goals for this concert series. Each concert involved audience participation through an informal question and answer session. Hands on opportunities were available to audience members after each concert. One of our primary goals was to enrich the musical life of the community. This goal turned out to be the highlight for our ringing members. Seeing the joy on the audiences faces as we rang made these concerts incredibly meaningful and fulfilling to us performers. In turn, audience members spoke to us after the concerts sharing their appreciation for such a high caliber musical concert being held at their facility without the need to travel throughout the metro area. Artistically speaking, music selection played a large role in the success of these concerts. Music Director, Bill Mathis, was able to craft the concert in such a way to highlight the music of the 30’s and 40’s that sparked the interest of the audience. Toes were tapping, voices were singing and humming along as audience members were recalled days gone by. One challenge in preparing for this concert series was teaching our ringers music from an unfamiliar era. This experience more than exceeded our expectations for the concert series and we are looking forward to doing it again with new venue partners. Our intended community for this concert series were the residents of the senior living facilities, their families and staff. Each concert was well attended by a diverse population; with various levels of mobility and accessibility to music concerts and handbells. The music we performed made a connection with the audiences that awakened memories hidden within. One lady was brought in the concert venue and did not speak, but when we performed ‘Blessed Assurance,’ she began to hum along. Many concert attendees had heard handbells before, but few in a concert setting. Two concert venues included audience members that were passionate about handbells and had extensive experience in ringing prior to retiring. Our concert was able to rekindle their love for the instrument. It was a joy for our members to see the enthusiasm in these audience members. We were delighted to see the large audiences at each facility. Our local partners did a great job spreading the word to their residents and encouraging participation in attending the concerts. Many residents also brought along family members that came specifically to enjoy the concert with their loved one. Bells of the Lakes worked with each venue to make sure that residents could easily access the concert site. Staff were very helpful in wheeling down residents and making sure all who were interested could attend. 360 people attended the concert series. Audience members didn’t just enjoy listening to the concerts, they felt a connection to the music. The ability to connect with the audience was the highlight for our members. The concert series was a learning experience for our ringers that gave them a new experience with a new population, many of whom had not visited these venues.