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Hudson River Bells

of the First Reformed Church of Athens, New York

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Concert dates:

The Hudson River Bells perform at services at the First Reformed Church in Athens several Sundays throughout the year!  Look for us on Sunday March 31, 2019 at the10:30 service and again on Easter Sunday!

Hudson River Bells to Perform for Coxsackie-Athens Baccalaureate June 2019


Feura Bush 2019


Grace Notes performed at Victorian Christmas on December 8, 2018 in Athens!

The Grace Notes are a 6-member sub-group of the Hudson River Bells.  This year they are schedule to play at the Cultural Center on Second Street in Athens.  Stop by and listen as they play some traditional Holiday tunes!

Click here to hear the Grace Notes perform!

Click on the "Upcoming Events" link above for the latest performances for HRB.

Click here for some of our performance videos from the "Civil War Heritage Music Gathering & Encampment" Concert in Windham, NY, on August 5, 2017


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Hudson River Bells
First Reformed Church of Athens

18 North Church Street
Athens,  NY  12015



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Founded in 1998, the Hudson River Bells (HRB) is an intermediate / advanced level handbell choir with an inter-generational group of 14 ringers, from teens through seniors. HRB is directed by Kathy Boyer, music director at the First Reformed Church of Athens, and where the bell choir is housed and supported. HRB has an open membership and ringers need not be members of the church.

Handbell ringing developed in England nearly 300 years ago as an outgrowth of “change ringing” the church tower bells. Since the learning and practice of ringing could not be done without disturbing the entire town, small bronze handbells were developed, enabling musicians to ring in privacy.  Later, ringers were organized to play musical selections as well as the “changes.”

In America, handbell groups were booked on the Chautauqua circuits and were popular during the days of vaudeville. With the demise of these entertainments, handbell ringing disappeared. The Beacon Hill Ringers in Boston, inspired a rebirth of handbell ringing in New England, and in 1948, a New York City based group appeared on the Gary Moore TV show. There was a tremendous national response, and by 1954 the AGEHR, now the Handbell Musicians of America, was founded. Now there are thousands of groups in churches, schools and communities throughout the country and around the world; and musicians who arrange music for handbell choirs and compose original music for handbells.

The Hudson River Bells ring a five-octave set of handbells and choir chimes. In addition to ringing during church services, they give concerts and perform at weddings and other special occasions. For further information, contact our Director Kathy Boyer at the "Contact Us" link.


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