Information and Links
The Miami Guild of Change Ringers
Miami's Trinity Episcopal Cathedral commissioned a ring of eight bells from the Whitechapel Bell Foundry of England, following construction of a tower adjacent to the narthex. The Patterson Memorial Bells were installed and dedicated on December 4, 1984. The largest bell weighs 2007 pounds (1700 ct), and the smallest weighs 558 pounds (303 ct).
The Miami Guild of Change Ringers is responsible for
the ringing and upkeep of the bells and is the local chapter for the
North American Guild of Change Ringers.
Its members are dedicated to the practice and teaching of the art of
Change Ringing. The local
guild consists of members and friends of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral and is
always looking for novice and experienced ringers to join our ranks.
The following is a description of what
Change Ringing is from the
North American Guild of Change Ringers website:
"Bell ringing celebrates the joy of weddings and victories, intones the sadness of deaths and funerals, and summons people to church."
"The bells of the towers listed in these pages produce no recognizable tunes. Yet they are rung in sequences as disciplined and orderly as the stones and timbers of the towers themselves. These bells, rung in an ancient yet very modern way, produce a rich cascade of sound. This is change ringing.
Change ringing requires special bells,
special "music", and ordinary people who enjoy climbing towers, working as a
team, and performing "The Exercise." The human ingredient is critical
because change ringing is very different from playing a carillon or chime.
It is not a single person sitting at a keyboard. There are no computers or
electronic devices. Change ringing depends on real bells, each swung in a
complete circle by a single person: six bells - six people, eight bells -
eight people, usually standing in a circle."
Visitors
Visitors are always welcome during ringing. We are looking for other persons interested to learn the ancient art of church bell ringing. It is advisable to call one of us before attending the practice night or Sunday ringing as these arrangements are subject to occasional last minute changes. Please see the schedule and contact information located on the sidebar.
Miami Change Ringers in Action
A short mpeg movie file here shows the Miami ringers at work. Also, you can see our ringing during the Carnival Center (now the Adrienne Arsht Center) Opening Weekend Celebration here.
Ringing for Weddings and Other Events
