Westminster Ringers
Handchime and Handbell Choir

Who They Are

The Westminster Ringers handbell choir is based in Westminster, Maryland. However, their members come from a wide area around there. Their director graciously made the ensemble available to record the Handbell and Handchime accompaniments written by Larry Sue for the following 2 hymns on the Hymns and Songs of My Mother album:

• "Just A Closer Walk with Thee"; and
• "Amazing Grace."

Editor's note. Small World - This also is the area of the State where the Morrison's live, who provided Shuttle Pipe and Celtic Harp accompaniments on "Morning Has Broken." Jo Morrison, the Harpist, was formerly a member of the Westminster Ringers for a number of years, and also grew up near Ashland, VA, where the Slipped DISC recording studio is located, which is where this album was completed. Wayne Morrison is the Shuttle Pipe player. At the same on-location recording session in Westminster for the handbells, Wayne also recorded a pipe version of "Amazing Grace," that is part of the interlude with the Handbells and Handchimes.

Purpose

The Westminster Ringers was formed in September of 1997 to provide gifted musicians the opportunity to play advanced handbell repertoire. In addition, the ensemble seeks to advance the knowledge, awareness and viability of the art of handbell ringing beyond that normally available to members of volunteer church and school groups.

The Westminster Ringers is the advanced ensemble, and usually ring level 3 through 6 repertoire. Besides performing as part of the Westminster Ringers sponsored Winter & Spring concerts, this ensemble performs many more concerts throughout the East Coast and presents many workshops. The Westminster Ringers is recognized as one of America's premier professional ensembles.

Expansion

In 2010, the Westminster Ringers expanded the number of ringing ensembles to include:

• Accelerando, an intermediate ensemble that usually ring level 2 through 4 repertoire. Besides performing on the sponsored Winter & Spring concerts, this ensemble performs at least one other concert per semester around the mid-atlantic region.


• 4-tissimo, a small ensemble that consists of 4 to 6 ringers playing on a small range of the ringers’ handbells. This group performs concerts when the full ensembles are not available, or the venue cannot accommodate the full ensemble.

Directors

Larry and his wife, Debbie Henning, are the co-founders of the Westminster Ringers, Inc.

Larry Henning serves as Music Director, Westminster Ringers Other responsibilities include:

• As of 2021 he was a seventh-grade mathematics teacher at Mt. Airy Middle School in Mt. Airy, MD.
• He also directed:
  • While teaching at a previous school, he established the Carrolltowne Ringers - a children’s handbell program for grades third through fifth. Under his direction, they received the National Exemplary School Award from Handbell Musicians of America;
  • The Agape Ringers from the Westminster Church of the Brethren; and
  • Wesley Carillon from the Westminster United Methodist Church.
• Larry has been a clinician with Handbell Musicians of America, Area 3, for their Bronze Conference Choir, Read & Ring Workshops, and the Ocean City and Hampton Festival. He studied conducting under William Payn.

Debbie Henning serves as:

• Managing Director;
• Educational Director;
• Director of the intermediate ringers group, Accelerando; and
• Treasurer

In addition to being a ringing member of Westminster Ringers, Debbie Henning also directs Accelerando, teaches early childhood music and movement classes and is the Director of Music at Grace UMC in Gaithersburg, MD. She has been involved with handbells for over 45 years as both a ringer and a director.

In addition to her musical activities, Debbie loves to quilt, sew and cross stitch. Debbie has served Handbell Musicians of America (formerly AGEHR) Area 3 for many years as a clinician, organizer and member of the Board.

Other Activities

The repertoire of the Westminster Ringers encompasses - classical, secular, original, holiday and sacred, as well as many toe-tapping melodies. They also seek to expand the horizons of the secular handbell repertoire by commissioning new original, or arrangements for handbell repertoire.

The Westminster Ringers, Inc. sponsors many workshops for churches or schools as well as teaches classes at regional and National handbell events. Individual handbell ringers/directors register for these one or two day events that have a per person fee.

The Westminster Ringers are appointed to the Maryland Performing Artist Touring Roster. That Roster is a listing of Maryland-based performing artists who are experienced, organized and professional.  Artists who are appointed to the Touring Roster have been selected through a peer review process in which they are rated on artistic merit and on a demonstrated history of successful touring engagements.

Maryland State Arts Council is an agency of the State of Maryland under the authority of the Department of Commerce, Division of Tourism, Film and the Arts.)

Resources

Westminster Ringers, Inc. owns:

• 85 Malmark Handbells (spanning 7 octaves);
• 7 octaves of Malmark Choirchimes;
• 2 octaves of Malmark Cymbals; and
• Assorted percussion, keyboard and wind instruments.

Contact Information

Prospective members who want to arrange an audition, or those desiring to arrange a concert by the Ringers can contact the Managing Director at:

WRManagingDirector@gmail.com, or

410-848-5482.

 

If you wish to comment on contents of this webpage, Clicking the button below will both transfer you to the Contact/Comment page, and pass along that you were on this webpage when you decided to comment.