Saturday, March 14 at 7 p.m. — RUTLAND — The Concert Handbell Ringers of the Wheeler School of Providence, R.I., an auditioned high school handbell ensemble celebrating its 35th year, will present a concert in the Chapel of the Rutland United Methodist Church on Saturday, March 14 at 7 p.m.
The Wheeler School, a co-ed independent day school serving over 800 students, was founded in 1889 by visionary artist and educator, Mary Coleman Wheeler. The school occupies an entire city block in the midst of Brown University and maintains a second campus of athletic facilities and classroom resources in Seekonk, Mass. The new Gilder Center for the Performing Arts houses five music classrooms, practice facilities, and a 400 seat amphitheater.
The Concert Ringers’ performance credits include multiple performances with the Rhode Island Philharmonic and recordings with Ed Sweeney, the Empire Brass Quintet, as well as their own CDs. In May, 2011, the Concert Ringers were the invited guest choir at the Boston Handbell Festival. The group tours annually throughout the United States and Canada and most recently to Bermuda and Denver, Colo. The ringers perform on six octaves of Malmark® handbells and five octaves (plus the lower seventh) of Malmark Choirchimes®.
The Concert Ringers are directed by Raffi Donoian, a New England-based classical guitarist. Donoian directs the Classical Guitar and Handbell programs at Wheeler.
