This year’s Oregon Adventist Men’s Chorus annual concert took on a new ring and youthful energy when Portland Adventist Academy’s Bell Canto handbells ensemble became part of the program.
“The inspiration for inviting Bell Canto came from my love for handbells and the variety of ways they can be used,” said Ben Purvis, OAMC director, now retired after 43 years of teaching music and Bible in Adventist schools.
In addition to the 13 handbell ringers, two other PAA students were invited to play solo parts for one piece each — Cory Connell, PAA junior, on oboe and Dannika AuDuong, PAA sophomore, on cello. “AuDuong and Connell were exceptional soloists,” Purvis said, “and really added to the success of the concert.”
Another young musician, Robby Russell, Portland Adventist Elementary School eighth-grade student, played the African djembe drum on two pieces. “Inviting PAA was only natural,” Purvis said, “as I completely support Adventist education and seek to promote it whenever possible.”
“Collaborating with OAMC was one of the highlights of the season for Bell Canto,” enthused John Carter, PAA music department chair and music director.
“Choosing the combination of chorus and handbells was a way of adding variety to our usual program,” Purvis said. “I have used this combination several times in my teaching career. The PAA music program is really developing under the leadership of Carter. With the quality of the program, they were the natural choice for this collaboration."
Bell Canto is one of five of the music department’s ensembles that toured to Adventist schools and churches in Northern California and Central and Southern Oregon in late April 2024.
“It was important for our students to see how music can remain a powerful source of purpose and community in their adult lives,” Carter shared. “I particularly felt it was important for our young students to collaborate musically and spiritually with the seasoned musicians of the OAMC and for OAMC to see that there are still students at PAA who care deeply about making quality music in a sacred setting.”
Now that the pandemic has passed, PAA is experiencing growth in the music programs, especially the Bell Canto ensemble. “Our handbell program has been growing by leaps and bounds,” Carter said, “and this was a banner year for our ensemble. The students worked hard all year on very challenging repertoire and they rose to the occasion.”
Joining OAMC’s mature voices with the youthful ring of Bell Canto’s handbells added another level of worship to the concert. “This cross-generational connection is what music can do best,” Carter said, “bringing two communities together to worship through music.”
Watch the concert on Sunnyside Adventist Church’s YouTube channel here.
The vocalists and musicians filled the stage during the performance.
Collaborating with OAMC was one of the highlights of the season for Bell Canto.
The long-time Northwest vocal ensemble invited PAA's Bell Canto handbell ringers to join them in their annual spring concert.
