It’s in the nature of handbells that we rarely have time to enjoy the afterglow of a performance. We’re usually on to the next set of music pretty quickly after a concert. So I thought I’d get in with the after-concert post before we go on to the next engagement!
Thanks to everyone who came to the Golden Anniversary concert. We had (as was made clear at the concert!) distinguished guests from the handbell world, as well as members of Bill’s family and Thatcham VIPs. The sheer spread of people was a measure of how universally liked and respected Bill is. Bill’s successor will have a hard time to match Bill’s supportiveness, vision and diplomacy. Thanks, too, to Judith and the ladies of Lambourn Chimers for their work serving the vital refreshments, and to Richard Butler for compering.
Now we move on to the Guildford music. This is for the Handbell Festival Service at Guildford Cathedral – the biggest spectacle of our handbell year that’s open to the public. We’ll be joining with teams from all around the South-East to play in unison, accompanied by an organist and other instruments. The teams in their coloured uniforms playing to the direction of the conductor is a spectacular sight, and we all enjoy being able to co-operate to play music more difficult than we can manage alone.
The service is at Guildford Cathedral, Stag Hill, Guildford GU2 7UP on the 14th of November at 3pm.
