The Agape Ringers are an auditioned community handbell choir, founded in 1992 and currently under the baton of KC Congdon. Brought together by our love of handbell music, we strive to further the art of handbell ringing through our concerts, workshops, and recordings. While we take our music seriously, we also make sure we enjoy our time together making it! Looking back through the years brings great satisfaction, and we're excited to continue our tradition of Agape excellence in the years ahead!
1992 - 1995 |
1992 |
Founded by David L. Weck with 13 members |
1992 |
Completed our first promotional recording for our friends at Hope Publishing Company |
1993 |
Performed in Milwaukee, WI at our first national handbell event |
1995 |
Taught our first workshop for the Handbell Musicians of America (HMA) - Area 8 |
1995 |
Showcase performance at the 16th Annual Directors' Seminar in St. Louis, MO |
1995 |
The Agape Ringers became incorporated as a not-for-profit organization |
1995 |
Performed as featured artists at Handbell Explo '95, Tempe, AZ |
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1996 - 2000 |
1996 |
Travelled through Wisconsin on our first out-of-state concert tour |
1997 |
Concert tour to Minnesota with performance at the HMA Western National Festival in Kansas City, MO |
1997 |
Purchased our low octave bronze bells G2-B2 |
1998 |
Purchased our 6th octave low chimes from Malmark |
1999 |
Produced our first Agape "Sounds of the Season" holiday concert |
2000 |
Our first international tour to attend the International Handbell Symposium in Birmingham, England |
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2001 - 2005 |
2002 |
Purchased a duplicate four octave set of Malmark Handbells |
2002 |
Visited the Malmark factory and the Liberty Bell during our East Coast tour |
2004 |
Purchased our 7th octave low chimes from Malmark |
2004 |
West Coast tour through Washington, Montana, Idaho, and Oregon |
2004 |
Featured performers & instructors at the HMA Area X Festival in Tacoma, WA |
2005 |
Performed joint concerts with friends Jane Holstein, Joel Raney, and Orbert Davis |
2005 |
Featured performers at the HMA National Seminar in Dallas, TX |
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2006 - 2010 |
2006 |
Headed south to Puerto Rico for our second overseas concert tour |
2006 |
Performed at the National Convention of the American Guild of Organists |
2007 |
Performed as opening artists at the Annual Seminar of the Fellowship of American Baptist Musicians in Green Lake, WI |
2008 |
Appeared in the Rockford Symphony Orchestra's Holiday Pops concert |
2009 |
Northeastern US tour through Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, and Toronto, Canada. |
2010 |
Headline Concert at the HMA Pinnacle event in Nashville, TN |
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2011 - 2015 |
2011 |
Performed & taught at the HMA Area 2 Festival in Kutztown, PA |
2011 |
Purchased our bronze C2 bell through the generosity of an anonymous but much appreciated donor! |
2011 |
Hosted our first "Friends of Agape" donor appreciation concert |
2012 |
Produced our Agape Gold concert DVD |
2012 |
Purchased our Equipment Truck |
2013 |
Guest artists with the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra |
2013 |
20th Anniversary celebration concert with guest artists Embellish Handbell Ensemble |
2014 |
Our first tour by Charter Bus to Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Mississippi |
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2016 - present |
2017 |
Performed at the HMA Area 5 Festival in Covington, KY |
2017 |
Joint concert with the Purdue University Handbell Choir in West Lafayette, IN |
2018 |
Visited the Golden State on our four-concert California tour |
2018 |
Sounds of the Season farewell concert & reception for David L. Weck |
2019 |
KC Condon takes charge as our Artistic Director |
2019 |
Performed at the Unity Temple in Oak Park, IL - a UNESCO World Heritage Site |
2020 |
First ever Agape streaming concert for Sounds of the Season 2020 |
2021 |
Featured group at HMA National Seminar in Glendale, Arizona |
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