The St. Olaf College Bell Choir to perform at GUMC

      The 13 members of the St. Olaf Bell Choir include Grinnell High School alumni Joel Dressler, back row fourth from the right, will be performing at the Grinnell United Methodist Church on Sunday, March 1 at 2 p.m.  Submitted photo.

      The St. Olaf Handbell Choir, from St. Olaf College, will be performing a concert at Grinnell United Methodist Church, in Grinnell, at 2:00 pm on Sunday, March 1st. Admission is free but a freewill offering will be taken. This performance is part of their Winter Wonder Tour.  
      The St. Olaf Handbell choir has an adventurous and engaging tour concert planned this year. The widely-varied program features original compositions, arrangements, and everything from hymns to Duke Ellington. A highlight in Grinnell will be a piece featuring student Joel Dressler ’28 on bell tree. Joel grew up in the handbell program at Grinnell United Methodist Church so it will be a bit of a homecoming for him. Other compositions combine bells with flute, piano and voice. 
       Monique Shore, bell choir director at Grinnell UMC, has been a bell ringer for over 40 years. “I’m very excited to have an hour of music from such an advanced choir. Not only are they all excellent musicians, but they have an expanded range of bells and chimes than we have available for our group. I believe some of the bells they will ring will be greater than a foot in diameter and chimes that are several feet tall. It should be a fabulous concert for those who love bell music and for those who’ve never heard it before.”
      The St. Olaf Handbell Choir was founded in 1983 and has grown to include four handbell ensembles. The choir who will perform in Grinnell is the premier ensemble of the handbell program at St. Olaf College. The ensemble is an auditioned group that meets twice a week. On campus they perform for daily chapel and Sunday church services, student recitals, and an annual spring concert featuring all the handbell choirs.  Sixteen years ago, the group began touring, performing in many cities in Minnesota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Nebraska, Missouri, Iowa, and Illinois.  This will be the first time they perform in Grinnell. 
       The Grinnell United Methodist Church is located at the corner of 5th and Park Street and is fully accessible. See their website at grinnellumc.org for details on worship and ministry opportunities.