Andante
Andante Music Club of Bella Vista invites the public to a music program by a trio of distinguished musicians at 2 p.m. March 5 in the Highland Christian Church, 1500 Forest Hills Blvd. in Bella Vista.
Dr. Robert Ritschel will present a program titled "Handel's Messiah, it's not just for Christmas." Composed in the Baroque era, the Messiah embodies many of the elements of the time, which Ritschel will clarify. Johann Sebastian Bach and Antonio Vivaldi composed their expressive and ornamental music during the Baroque era. Dr. Ritschel will relate information about the life of composer George Frideric Handel.
Dr. Arlene Biebesheimer, soprano, and Don Powers, pianist, will assist Ritschel in performing selections from Parts Two and Three of the Messiah.
Ritschel graduated from Northeastern State College in Oklahoma with a BAE in Music Education. His enlistment in the U.S. Air Force took him on a tour of duty in Saigon, Vietnam. In addition to teaching English to the Vietnamese military, he found time to conduct the Saigon Choral Society in the fall of 1970. During an accomplished career, Ritschel earned a M.M. in Conducting and completed a Doctorate in Education while teaching choral music and graduate and undergraduate music courses at several universities. He served as an administrator in higher education, and retired as President of Spoon River College in Canton, Ill.
Biebeshieimer returns to the stage from the February Andante music program featuring her professional opera career. She holds several music degrees culminating in doctor of musical arts. For six years she was principal soprano for the opera company in Passau, Germany. Biebesheimer taught music and voice in various colleges, elementary music and high school drama and speech, and served as a church music director.
Powers has multiple college degrees including master of arts in music. Powers taught piano and organ in Hawaii and played keyboard for Don Ho in Ho's nightclub show and television variety show. He served 30 years as music director for Theatre Arlington, Texas. Powers was Welcome Table Christian Church of Arlington's pianist until he moved to Bella Vista.
The program is free and open to the public.
The club is an affiliate of the National Federation of Music Clubs and the Arkansas Federation of Music Clubs.
Information: andantemusicclub.org or email [email protected].
Round Table
The Bella Vista Civil War Round Table will meet at 7 p.m. March 7 at the Bella Vista Historical Museum, 1885 Bella Vista Way.
The program will be presented by Wayne and Brenda Cantwell of Oklahoma. The Cantwell's perform American old-time music of the 19th and early 20th centuries as a duo calling themselves "Zoetrope." Wayne Cantwell has performed and taught fiddle, 5-string banjo and mountain dulcimer for over 30 years. Their program will focus on music of the mid-19th century which would have been performed and enjoyed during the Civil War.
The meeting is open to the public. No admission is charged but donations are appreciated as a means to defray the cost of the speakers.
Information: Email [email protected].
Handweavers
The Northwest Arkansas Handweavers Guild will meet at 10 a.m. March 9 at the Shiloh Meeting Hall on the campus of the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History in Springdale.
There will be a short business meeting and then the group will move to the opening reception for the Shiloh Museum exhibit "Tracing the Threads: Weaving in the Arkansas Ozarks." This exhibit celebrates the long history of weaving in the area including the founding of the Guild in 1949. Several pieces of members' work will be on display on the "Wall of Beautiful Things." A gallery talk will take place followed by the Guild historian giving a short talk about the Guild history. Past members, friends and the public are invited to attend.
Light refreshments will be served and weaving demonstrations will take place in the Exhibit Hall meeting room.
Information: nwahandweaversguild.org.
Hill Hikers
The Ozark Hill Hikers, affiliated with the American Volkssport Association, invite all interested walkers to join them for a walk March 9 at Bentonville. Registration is from 9:30 to 10 a.m. at the Casey's Convenience Store at 100 S.E. J St. in Bentonville. There is a short drive to the start point where participants will choose either a 5K or 10K walk. This walk is along the clear waters of Coler Creek, over the "singing bridge" and by the Airship Cafe.
There is a fee of $3 for credit and $2 for noncredit. Membership dues to the Ozark Hill Hikers are $12 a year prorated $1 for each month remaining in the calendar year.
Information: (479) 381-9366 or email [email protected].
Aquarium Society
The Northwest Arkansas Aquarium Society will hold a fundraising auction at noon March 9 at Millwood Christian Church, 3450 W. Pleasant Grove Road in Rogers. Everyone is welcome to buy or sell. Pick up real bargains, including rare, home-bred species not normally sold in stores. Make money selling unneeded fish, plants, aquariums, or supplies of your own. A portion of sales go to the club to fund their monthly programs.
Registration begins at 10 a.m.
Information: nwaas.com or email [email protected].
Women's 5+4
The Bella Vista Women's 5+4 Hole Golf Association is accepting members for the 2024 golf season.
Founded in 1973 the group welcomes POA members who are relatively new to the game, as well as those who are good, experienced golfers. Most importantly, 5+4 Hole golf offers it all – fun, fellowship, and exercise.
The group usually plays at Brittany golf course where golfers have the option to walk or use carts. Other courses will be played on a few dates. Play is on Mondays, April through October. Members score the first five holes of play, after which players can quit or finish out the nine-hole course.
A variety of games are played (scrambles, closest to the pin, longest drive, etc.) No handicaps are used.
Play starts in April, weather permitting, at Brittany. To sign up to play, sign up at the golf course once play starts in April or email Mary Schmid at [email protected]. Annual dues are $15. Make checks payable to Women's 5+4 Hole Golf Association. Mail checks and application forms to: Judy Schenk, 73 Branchwood Drive, Bella Vista, AR 72715.
Information: (763) 670-5438, (479) 426-2496 or sites.google.com/site/bv5wga.
The Rotary Club of Downtown Rogers presented a gift of $5,000 to the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank on Feb. 26 during the club's weekly meeting at The Pub on the Bricks in downtown Rogers. Club president Eric Ledbetter challenged other area Rotary Clubs to match the contribution in support of the food bank's construction of the new Claude & Betty Harris Center for Hunger Relief opening this summer. The Northwest Arkansas Food Bank's new facility will allow the organization to increase food distribution by 60 percent, and will serve the projected population growth of Northwest Arkansas through 2045. Accepting the donation are club members and food bank staff members Dana Mather (from left), Kent Eikenberry, Joi Swanson and Tom Stallbaumer. (Submitted Photo)