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Photo by Darlene Wong Cancell. Director Peter de Reyna introduces The Westwood Ringers Christmas Concert program at First Baptist of Westwood on Saturday, December 17, 2022.
12-17-2022 8:56pm
Virtually a Full House Gathers for Westwood Ringers' Christmas Concert
Darlene Cancell
Editor
The Westwood Ringers performed to virtually a full house at First Baptist of Westwood's Fellowship Hall late afternoon into early evening on Saturday, December 17, 2022, with additional seating being set out again and again for later arriving visitors, the majority of them families with young children. As additional visitors continued to enter, seating estimates were revised more than once. A rough count of the audience found close to 100 in attendance.
Perhaps it was the promise this year of a chance for audience members to speak with the Ringers and ring the bells after the concert, that drew special interest from the younger crowd. The Ringers did not disappoint, as one elementary-aged child, when asked about the performance, answered, "It was amazing!"
The Westwood Ringers started as a youth group in 1965. That has changed over time, and now members of the Westwood Ringers have tended to be mature adults. Compared to the thirteen ringers at last year's Christmas Concert, nine ringers performed this year, plus Director Peter de Reyna.
Mr. de Reyna noted the smaller sized ensemble, and took the opportunity at the opening of the performance to invite interested persons in the community to speak with him about joining. Through the years, the Ringers have not necessarily been members of First Baptist Church, and have come from both within and outside of Westwood.
Take a listen to a sampling of this experienced ensemble in Saturday's concert, below, as they play Silver Bells and O Holy Night. These clips are also viewable @WestwoodMinute on Twitter.
