The Gateway Ringers of St. Louis present...
“An American Tapestry”
Selections include: The All-American Hometown Band, America from "West Side Story", Baroque Hoedown (Theme from the Disneyland Main Street Electrical Parade), Down By The Riverside, Eternal Father Strong to Save, Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit, Maple Leaf Rag, To Kill A Mockingbird, and others!
The Gateway Ringers' mission is to inspire excellence in musicianship and heighten awareness of handbell music. Our vision for fulfillment of this mission includes:
· A formal, professional performance style which places emphasis on musicianship and artistic interpretation.
· An eclectic repertoire which balances a variety of musical styles.
· Participation and leadership in events which will expand and promote the awareness and appreciation of handbells.
The Gateway Ringers is an auditioned community choir, comprised of handbell ringers from the St. Louis metropolitan area. Our mission is to inspire excellence in musicianship and heighten awareness of handbell music. The group was formed in the fall of 1995. The Gateway Ringers are active in the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers (AGEHR) at the Area VIII and national levels. They perform using five octaves of Malmark handbells & three octaves of Malmark ChoirChimes.
Chuck Peery, Director
Chuck Peery began directing the Gateway Ringers for the Spring, 2008 season. Chuck is the Director of Music/Organist at St. Paul United Church of Christ in Belleville, IL. He taught public school choral music for 28 years in Ohio after having studied choral music education, organ, and composition at the College-Conservatory of Music of the University of Cincinnati. Chuck has handbell music published by the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers, and has written works on commission for churches in Ohio, Florida, Georgia and New York, as well as for the bell choir of the University of Southern Mississippi, and the Cincinnati Brass Band. In more recent years, Chuck has completed eight years of private study in harp with Ulrike Brinksmeier, chair of the harp department at the Cincinnati Conservatory.