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Welcome to the Jersey Jubilation Handbell Choir (JJHC) home page


The Jersey Jubilation Handbell Choir (JJHC [aka JJHE]) is one of the newer community handbell choirs to be established but has over 20 years of history behind it. The ensemble is a continuation outgrowth of six predecessor choirs and ensembles which have been active in the eastern parts of the United States for over two decades. It is the culmination of a dream that brings together experienced ringers from over a 300 square mile area encompasing much of northern New Jersey, the New York metropolitan area, and northeastern Pennsylvania.

2012 Spring & Summer Concert Schedules Announced



Jersey Jubilation, the premier area community handbell choir, has announced preliminary dates for its 2012 Spring & Summer concert programs. In addition to their annual spring Home Concert, the choir, once again, has been invited to participate in the 37th Hudson Valley Handbell Festival/Conference at Nyack College in Nyack, New York on April 28th.

In May, the choir will perform in its Annual Spring Home Concert in Ridgewood, NJ. Finally, for the first in its history, Jersey Jubilation will present a summer presentation as the premier Handbell Choir in New York City in July. The presentations will be made on the following schedule:

The Choir will present it's programs on the following schedule:

DateLocationInformation
Saturday, April 28, 2012 7:30 p.m. [approx] Nyack College, Nyack, New York
Nyack College has been host for the past five years to the Hudson Valley Handbell Festival/Conference. Twenty Five choirs from the Hudson Valley and the tri-state region will participate in a day-long event under the baton of David Harris, Founder and Director of the Raleigh Ringers of Raleigh, NC. The day is punctuated by artistic instruction in technique and timbre in the handbell tradition of great choirs. The work culminates with a concert given at 7:30pm at which all 25 choirs ring "en mass". The sound has been described as heavenly, penetrating, and angelically surreal. Jersey Jubilation has rung at all four of the previous events at Nyack College, one of only 4 choirs to have done this.

The Concert is open to the community and takes a free will offering to support programs in need. This year, the proceeds will go to help restore handbells damaged by Hurricane Irene.

[Click Here for flyer]

Friday, May 11, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. Methodist Churches United, 57 Burton Avenue, Hasbrouck Hts, NJ
Over the past three years, the Jersey Jubilation Handbell Choir has presented its Christmas Program with the Methodist Churches United in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ.

This will be our fourth return to Hasbrouck Hts to share the joy of handbell music with members of the church, this time with a spring concert. Please join us as the public is invited.

[Click Here for flyer]

Friday, May 18th, 2012, 8:00 p.m. Ridgewood United Methodist Church, 100 Dayton St., Ridgewood, NJ

The Ridgewood United Methodist Church (RUMC) in Ridgewood, NJ has invited Jersey Jubilation, its resident guest community handbell choir to ring in concert on Friday evening, May 18th, 2012!

In the past, the Choir celebrates the conclusion of their musical year with its Annual Spring Concert at RUMC. This year, Jersey Jubilation recieved a real honor in being selected to present in NYC later in the summer (see the following concert listing), so while this is the "final" Spring concert, it is not the last to be experienced.

The Jersey Jubilation Handbell Choir will be ringing a number of arrangements, both sacred and secular, including selections from Handel's "Messiah". Depending on musical arrangements, the choir may be accompanied with piano, organ, percussion and/or electronic keyboard at each concert.

Programs are part of the RUMC 2011-2012 Music Concert Series which presents music of different mediums throughout the year. The programs begin at 8:00pm and will be presented at the Ridgewood United Methodist Church Sanctuary located at 100 Dayton Street in Ridgewood, NJ. (Office Phone: 201-652-2868) [directions].

[Click Here for flyer]

Saturday, July 28, 2012, 10:00 a.m. Ridgewood United Methodist Church, 100 Dayton St., Ridgewood, NJ

Delta Kappa Gamma (DKG) Society International has selected Jersey Jubilation Handbell Choir of Ridgewood, NJ, to present at the 2012 DKG International Convention on Saturday, July 28th, 2012. The presentations will be made to the General Session of the DKG International Conference at the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers.

DKG, whose proper name is "The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International For Key Women Educators" is a Society with a driven purpose of advancing women's education and leadership throughout the Americas (both North and South) and, indeed throughout the world. DKG has chapters in every U.S. State, every Canadian Province, and reaches around the world in its missions and purpose.

The Jersey Jubilation Handbell Choir, led by Director Christine Braden, will be presenting two performances at the DKG International General Session. Meshing with the international focus of the Convention, one of the performances will be "Siyahamba" arranged by Hal Hobson. The music originated in South Africa and is said to have been composed c. 1950 by Andries van Tonder.

Director Christine Braden, herself a lifelong educator, has a long history within the Handbell world, spanning well over thirty years. She has taught over 100 ringers from young children through college age and beyond. Her handbell choirs have been inspirational in encouraging schools and churches to develop handbell programs. She continues to teach as a clinician throughout NJ, NY and PA. In addition to her handbell educational endeavors, she has over 24 years of pre-school educational leadership in which music, rithym and movement were integral parts of the curriculum.

While not this date is not open to the general public, members of DKG in NJ, PA and NY are encouraged to sign up for the convention and the musical presentations.

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About our Residency at RUMC

The Ridgewood United Methodist Church (RUMC) is the residence of Jersey Jubilation. RUMC is an 'acoustically active' venue that reverberates musical presentations equivalent to many fine music halls in New York City. The venue has been the site of concerts and recording of many professional, accomplished groups and musicians including the Youth Ringers (a touring, concert and broadcasting youth handbell choir resident for over 15 years under Christine Braden, Director), various provessional artists of note*, and the current guest resident choir, the Jersey Jubilation Handbell Choir, also under the leadership of Christine Braden.

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* - Artists of note: Dr. Jean Langlais, Virgil Fox, Dr. Richard E. Frey, the American Boy Choir Dr. James A. Wynne, the Yale Whiffenpoofs, the Yale Spizzwinks, The Orpheus Club Men's Chorus





Are you a Ringer looking for a challenging opportunity?

JJHC is always looking for additional experienced ringers to join our ensemble. You do not have to be an 'expert' to join us, but we do have some requirements. Interested candidates should be able to ring in two or more positions (no "bell hogs" here!), be able to read music and be able to ring at Level III or higher. The choir practices in Ridgewood, NJ (approximately 21 miles from NYC). Ridgewood is serviced by NJ Transit trains from Secaucus and Hoboken. If you would be interested in exploring this opportunity, please give us a call (201) 447-2751 or send us an email at 'info@jerseyjubilation.org'.





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