Curators Monica Curro and Stefan Cassomenos have set out to examine our heritage and bloodlines, and to rejoice in “the miracle of how millions of notes in the hands of master musicians are crafted into stunning sonic stories,” all the while paying homage to the Ancient Greek mosaic and the inspiration of the Muses. Over three days, master musicians and ensembles – including The Consort of Melbourne, Vox Plexus and the PFSMF Children’s Chorus – will bring these stories to life.

Limelight Editor’s Choice

Bells have reverberated throughout human culture for at least 5000 years, from the earliest surviving ceramic ling in Neolithic China to the colossal Tsarsky Kolokol of Moscow – serving an infinity of deeply human purposes, with which our imagination associates them. The long history of their use as musical instruments struck a turning point with the evolution of the modern handbell in late 1600s England, reaching the shores of the United States a short time later, and the birth of a new and uniquely synergistic genre of music-making – ensembles of handbell ringers seamlessly integrating to act as one instrument.

Minnesota-born Suzanne Brimacomb, Director and Conductor of the Ring of Bells, moved to Port Fairy in 2017 after completing an extensive career in music education, bringing with her a magnificent 3-octave chromatic set of Schulmerich bronze handbells. The evolution of the Ring of Bells has been due to a determined and dedicated group of women from the surrounds of Southwest Victoria. These players – some of whom may be your friends, neighbours, or acquaintances via other music groups – share the heavenly sonorities and deep seeded vibrational connections these magical bells possess.