After a two-week break for Christmas, the Pikes Peak Ringers rang in the new year with the Heritage Brass Quintet at two standing-room-only concerts! 

With just one combined rehearsal prior to the concert series, PPR and Heritage Brass packed them in at Ascension Lutheran Church on Friday, January 8th, and again at First Christian Church on Sunday, January 10th.  Folks were standing in the aisles and sitting in the church foyer to catch a glimpse of the amazing collaboration between the bell choir and brass quintet.  From the opening strains of Grand Choeur Dialogue, through the haunting melodies of Carillon and Grazioso, and all the way to the finale of Holy, Holy, Holy, the audience was enthralled with the beauty - and blown away with the volume!  Both concerts ended with standing ovations, leading to the dramatic encore performance of I Sing the Mighty Power of God.

Not only did this concert series mark the first collaboration between PPR and the Heritage Brass, but it also marked the concert directorial debut of Susan Hedgpeth, PPR’s new assistant director.  Many audience members commented after the concert that the two pieces she directed, Carillon and Make Me an Instrument of Thy Peace, were their favorites in the entire program!

PPR and Heritage Brass were also excited to perform Dona Nobis Pacem, the award-winning composition that PPR recorded with Yo-Yo Ma in November 2009.  The cello melody line was played by a French horn and trumpet duet at both concerts, and was very enthusiastically received by both audiences.

Also performing in both concerts was the Forté handbell quartet, making their 2010 debut with Brethren, We Have Met to Worship and Song Without Words.  The two very different tune selections received rousing ovations from both concert audiences.

PPR’s collaboration with the Heritage Brass culminated in the recording studio two days after the concert series, where the groups recorded the five tracks they played together for an upcoming studio CD release.  So stay tuned!!!

The full concert program list was:

Grand Choeur Dialogue (Gigout/arr. McChesney) - PPR and Heritage Brass

Carillon (Wagner) - PPR

Brethren, We Have Met to Worship (Trad./arr. McChesney) – Forté

Alleluia (Thompson/arr. Blake) – Heritage Brass

Canzone Bergamasque (Scheidt/arr. Jones) – Heritage Brass

Dona Nobis Pacem (Trad./McChesney) – PPR and Heritage Brass

All Creatures of Our God and King (Melhybel/arr. McChesney) – PPR and Heritage Brass

Song Without Words (Alloy Orchestra/arr. McChesney) – Forté

When the Saints Go Marching In (Trad./arr. Allums) – Heritage Brass

Grazioso (Sherman) – PPR

Make Me an Instrument of Thy Peace (McChesney) – PPR and Heritage Brass

Nimrod (Elgar/arr. McChesney) – PPR and Heritage Brass

Holy, Holy, Holy (Trad./arr. McChesney) – PPR and Heritage Brass

I Sing the Mighty Power of God – PPR