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Concerts River City Ringers currently plays two distinct concert seasons: Christmas and Spring. Each season, we perform a variety of free public concerts hosted by churches and community centers across San Antonio, featuring a diverse range of musical styles and techniques. We appreciate the support of our generous hosts! River City Ringers is also available for private events. Please contact us for scheduling and more information. Education River City Ringers is dedicated to engaging the wider community in musical education and handbell awareness. We’re always looking for opportunities to share our love of handbells! We have hosted events with schools, libraries, bell choirs, and age groups from elementary school to seniors. Let us know if you’d like to arrange an educational activity with your group. Non-Profit River City Ringers is a designated 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Your donations are appreciated (and tax-deductible!), to help support our mission. Meet the Members of River City Ringers
Daniel Long, Ph.D., Interim Music Director of the River City Ringers, has devoted much of his professional life to the study of interpretation, historically informed performances and promotion of choral, orchestral and handbell music. As a conductor, vocal soloist and chorister, early historical keyboardist, and musicologist, his studies, lectures and performances have taken him to numerous academic and concert halls throughout Europe, Canada and USA. He received his Bachelor of Music degree in Sacred Music from the music conservatory at Drake University, his Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Texas at Austin, performance diploma from the Johann Sebastian Bach Musik Akademie and the Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology from the University of South Africa about the chronology of American baseball music. Long has studied with such noted conductors as Leonard Bernstein, Margaret Hillis, John Canarina, Fiora Contino, Walter Ducloux and Helmuth Rilling. He has collaborated in performances with some of the leading early music interpreters. Long has also studied early historical keyboard playing with international recording artists Marie-Claire Alain, Martin Hasselbeck and Kenneth Gilbert. As a conductor, Dr. Long performed with such noted professional music ensembles as the San Antonio Symphony, Austin Sinfonietta, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Stuttgarter Kammerorchestra, Texas Bach Choir and Collegium, Antigua Tejas and Orchestra of St. Martin’s in the Fields, as well as the Oregon Bach Festival, International Fortnight of Early Music in Bruges, Belgium and Johann Sebastian Bach Festival in Stuttgart, Germany. As a musicologist, Long has lectured at several early music festivals, written articles for early music journals, given lectures on the spiritual symbolism found in Handel’s Messiah, sacred and wedding cantatas of Johann Sebastian Bach, the Holocaust music in the 1930s, Country music Christianity and the analysis of the music by the Beatles. Long has also become one of this country’s leading pioneers in the rediscovery of American early music from the Thirteen Colonies, Mexican colonial music of Nueva España, and transcription of Shaker music. Dr. Long has also been a longtime supporter of young artists. While being the Music Director of the Austin Civic Orchestra, he developed a performance program for young artists. He also was an adjudicator at the IBLA Young Artists competition in Ragusa, Sicily. Most recently, Dr. Long has become a biographer on the life and music of Johnny Cash. He has lectured and given presentations on these subjects at the Johnny Cash Heritage Festival at Dyess, Arkansas, the Delta Symposium at Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, Arkansas and the International Country Music Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. Dr. Long is Professor of Music at St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, Texas, where he was the Field Director of the London Studies Abroad program, and the recipient of the 2008-09 Distinguished Faculty Award presented by the St. Mary’s University Alumni Association. He also serves as Director of Music Ministries at Christ Lutheran Church of Alamo Heights in San Antonio, Texas. CYNDI ERP-LONG Position: President Cyndi began ringing at Christ Lutheran Church of Alamo Heights more than 40 years ago but began ensemble ringing in earnest more than 20 years ago. She occasionally plays solos, duets and small ensembles at church where she also sings in the Sanctuary Choir. She has been involved in music since elementary school, primarily playing clarinet, bass clarinet and flute. She and her husband Dan, enjoy traveling, going to baseball games, and watching Spurs basketball. SUZANNE ZOSS Position: Secretary Suzanne began ringing handbells in the children’s choir when she was 11 years old. She took dance lessons through college (tap was her favorite). In high school, in an effort to avoid PE, she joined band (percussion). This led to her becoming the first drummer in the Praise Band at church! She went on to Texas A&M, worked on Aggie Bonfire and got a degree in Meteorology (c/o ’02, Whoop!). After graduating, she moved back home and met a new boy in the handbell choir…fast forward to now: they will be celebrating their 16th anniversary next month! After working at Aggie Park for nearly 10 years, she is now a stay-at-home wife with lots of opportunities to volunteer at church and Elf Louise. MARK HICKS Position: Treasurer Mark started playing handbells when he became frustrated with his voice changing and put vocal choir on hiatus. Since junior high (“about” 40 years ago), he’s played almost every season with at least one bell choir (in Houston, Sherman, and San Antonio). Mark does have a life outside of handbells! His family has a ranch in the Hill Country and he has a very green thumb. He also plays clarinet and, since moving to San Antonio, he’s been involved with the production of over 70 plays and musicals – either on stage (the voice lessons helped) or behind the scenes. Mark began ringing with RCR in the fall of 2014 (after helping out as a sub ringer & narrator for several concert seasons) – don’t know what took him so long! BARBIE SENKOW Position: Publicity Barbie is proud to be a charter member of the River City Ringers Handbell Ensemble. She began ringing bells with “Plangentes Dei” Handbell Choir at St. Andrew’s UMC where she also sang in the Sanctuary Choir for over 30 years. Barbie currently attends Coker UMC, where she sings in the Chancel Choir, and is a member of the Bells Jubilee. Barbie worked for Joskes of Texas, Dillards & Solo Serve as a retail buyer for 22 years. She is currently employed in her second career with a financial advisory firm where she is an Officer – Senior Registered Client Associate. In addition to ringing handbells, Barbie enjoys singing in choirs, reading, musical theater, old movies, entertaining & holidays! Barbie is married to Ken – yes really! They have 3 parakeets, Sunflower, Billie and Mickie. HEATHER SCHENCK-MASON Position: Member Rep. Heather Schenck-Mason hails from Louisville, Kentucky. Raised by musician parents, her love of music was nurtured starting at the age of 3. Heather’s church family in San Antonio is Coker UMC, where she sings in the Chancel Choir, and is a member of the Festival Bells Jubilee. Happily married for 14 years, she and her husband are raising three beautiful and awesome children; along with a menagerie of fur babies. Besides reading, watching movies with the family, and cuddling with her hubby, kids and fur babies; her bliss and passion, for over 40 years, remains handbell ringing. She rings for God and enjoys teaching others the happiness of handbells. She also counts herself blessed to be a member and part of the mission of the River City Ringers since the spring of 2013. HEATH BAXTER Plays Ringing Handbells KAMBI DEUEL Plays Ringing Handbells RICHARD GARRETT Plays Ringing Handbells TRISH KAUHAAHAA Plays Ringing Handbells TERRILEE PERDUE Plays Ringing Handbells ALICE POWELL-BROWN Plays Ringing Bells STACIE SILVUS-BROWN Plays Ringing Bells JEREMY ZOSS Plays Ringing Handbells JAMES MARTINEZ Position: Percussionist
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