Back Bay Ringers, Boston’s Community Handbell Ensemble, to Host Kiriku Handbell Ensemble Performance

Posted on March 16, 2009
Filed Under Concerts, Events | 1 Comment

back bay ringers po box 990828 boston, ma  02199

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Griff Gall, Artistic Director

Phone: 617-599-8656

Fax: 866-243-9594

E-mail: ggall@backbayringers.org

 

Back Bay Ringers, Boston’s Community Handbell Ensemble, to Host Kiriku Handbell Ensemble Performance

 

(Boston, Mass. March 16, 2009)—The Back Bay Ringers, Boston’s leading community-based handbell organization, will host the renowned Kiriku Handbell Ensemble in performance, Saturday, May 2, 2009, 7:30 PM, at Hancock Church, 1912 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, Mass.

 

This performance presents a unique opportunity to see Kiriku Handbell Ensemble, a small “design team” of musicians founded under the leadership of Taiko Otsubo. A Japanese representative of leading-edge handbell performance, Ms. Otsubo – who studied and performed under noted Japanese director Katsumi Kodama – helped to establish handbell music as an established genre in the world of classical music in Japan. The members of the group also are skilled in wind and percussion instruments, and together they made their debut as Kiriku in 2004, performing before a sold-out audience at Hamarikyu Asahi Hall.

 

Kiriku has attracted attention not only because of its unique configuration of only six ringers (who handle five and a half octaves of handbells), but also because of the group’s impressive technique and expressive musicality. They play a variety of music, including classical, religious, jazz, popular, and traditional Japanese. They actively perform in major music halls around the Tokyo metropolitan area and across Japan, and they regularly perform in collaboration with other instrumental and vocal ensembles. Kiriku has several CDs, television performances, and a growing fan base in their country, but their main goal is to further the art and quality of handbell music worldwide.

 

Kiriku made their debut performance in the United States on a West Coast tour in the fall of 2007. “We are honored to co-present this concert, bringing this dynamic ensemble to New England. Their musicality and technique are flawless,” say BBR’s Artistic Director Griff Gall.  Cheryl Kraley, Bell Choir Coordinator for Hancock Church, expresses her enthusiasm for the event: “Hancock is excited to be co-hosting this event, which will allow ringers and non-ringers in New England the unique opportunity to experience this amazing musical ensemble.”

 

Admission is free. A free-will donation will be collected to help defray Kiriku’s travel expenses. For more information, please visit www.backbayringers.org or contact Artistic Director, Griff Gall, at 617 599-8656 or via e-mail at ggall@backbayringers.org.

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