ringing
in
the
BY NICOLE TAFE
RING
PITTSBURGH’S
UPCOMING
CONCERT
FOR THE
HOLIDAY
SEASON
Friday, Dec. 14, 6:30 p.m.
Frick Art Museum
16
724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE
❘
R
season
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
icmags.com
bells and other equipment along with
rehearsal space at St. Paul’s. The group
says they will be eternally grateful for the
generosity.
Ring Pittsburgh is led by officers and is
a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. While
Rossetti is the music and artistic director,
most operational decisions and are made
by the Board of Directors and Officers and
carried out by the members. All members
serve on at least one committee, handling
things like publicity, funds, equipment,
transportation for concerts, music
library, concert scheduling, social media
management and more.
While there is no age requirement, to
be a member of Ring Pittsburgh one must
have some handbell experience as a ringer.
Open auditions take place every other
August, and the most recent ones were this
past August. Candidates receive a copy
of the group’s handbook and one musical
selection to prepare at three bell positions
of their choosing. Auditions are done in a
group setting with the entire group to keep
the audition as informal as possible. All
candidates will then have a discussion with