ringing
in the
season
BY NICOLE TAFE
R
ing Pittsburgh is an auditioned
community of musicians skilled in the
art of handbell ringing. The unique
ensemble takes a musical art form
found mainly in church and worship settings and
translates it to a professional concert setting. The
group’s seasoned ringers educate and entertain
audiences across southwestern Pennsylvania, and
seek to advance the knowledge and awareness of
the art of handbell ringing.
“Ring Pittsburgh formed in the summer of 2016
around the Rossetti dining room table,” recalls Jim
Rossetti, Music and Artistic Director of the group.
“We formed from a church handbell choir that was
no longer able to play because of a change in church
personnel. As a church group we were very tight
and didn’t like the prospect of not staying together
to ring as an ensemble. Our only option seemed to
be starting a community handbell choir.”
When Tom Taylor, Director of Music at St. Paul’s
United Methodist Church in Allison Park, learned
of the group’s fate, he generously offered the use of
the church’s bells and other equipment along with
rehearsal space at St. Paul’s. The group says they will
be eternally grateful for the generosity.
14
724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE
❘
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