Purdue Bells tour to make its first stop at Naperville church March 17
On Thursday, March 17, Purdue Bells will perform a free concert at 7 p.m. in the sanctuary of Grace United Methodist Church, 300 E. Gartner Road in Naperville.
It will be the first stop on their 2022 spring break tour. Members of Purdue University's prestigious, time-honored bell choir, directed by Rhonda Blacklock, demonstrate their specialty in four-in-hand quartet, off-the-table ensemble, and Shaker Chime ensemble.
The talented students ring a five-octave set of British-made Whitechapel handbells, a five-octave set of American-made Schulmerich handbells, and a five-octave set of Marlmark choir chimes with an additional lower octave for performances.
One of the bell choir members is Grace's own Mark Froelich, a senior at Purdue studying mechanical engineering. He spent eight years ringing at Grace, beginning at the age of 10 with the Children's Bell Ensemble under the direction of Angela Sterchi and, later, Debbie John, then with the Youth Bell Ensemble for the next four years under the direction of Cheryl Ameiss. He also served as a sub with the adult Grace Bell Ensemble.
"Throughout my years ringing at Grace, I came to love handbells and the people who play the instrument," said Froelich, who currently rings the upper treble in the C6/D6 position. He is also the leader and a ringer in Purdue Bells' Off-the-Table (OTT) Specialty Ensemble.
As a college ringer, Froelich has enjoyed traveling and performing at venues big and small across the nation and the world, including all throughout the United Kingdom in 2019.
He is excited about returning to Grace for the concert on March 17 and highly encourages all to attend.
"Purdue Bells is unique in that we are a double choir with a five-octave set of American- and British-made handbells," he said. "We also own one of three sets of antique Shaker chimes known to exist."
What's more, he added, there is no music degree at Purdue; thus, the bell choir is a volunteer group of students who are studying to be teachers, engineers, historians, etc.
"We are student-led, and we all volunteer our time and energy striving to achieve the highest level of musicality."
For information, visit www.peopleofgrace.org.