By Beth Carroll
Every year, the Morris Educational Foundation runs the talent contest Morristown Onstage to raise funds for the Morris School District.
Every year, dozens of amateur artists audition, hoping to become one of 16 finalists chosen to compete for cash and glory at the Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown.
And every year, there is quite a bit of variety to the acts. Singers, duets, bands, dancers, even standup comedians. They’ve all been there before.
But there has never been a bell choir in the mix — until this evening.
When the Walsh Memorial Bell Choir of the Morris Plains Presbyterian Church takes the stage tonight, March 4, 2025, with its rendition of Toccata on King’s Weston, the ringers will have the distinction of being the first.
The 11-member choir is directed by Amy Bozza, a history teacher at Morristown High School whose previous directing experience includes years of corralling more than a hundred kids onstage for Frelinghuysen Middle School musicals. Her bell ringers range in age from 12-17, and their experience, from two to 11 years.
One of several choirs at the church, the Walsh Choir was established in 1968 and named in honor of the late Rev. Joseph E. Walsh. Membership is by audition only. The church starts kids ringing bells as young as 5, so by the time they audition for the Walsh Choir when they’re in grades 6-12, they have varying degrees of expertise.
“At first it can be a mess,” one of the kids said. “When we’re first learning a song it takes a while to get it right.”
“Timing is everything,” agreed another bell ringer. “You would think it would be harder to play a fast song and it is, but mistakes are more noticeable in a slow song. So we work hard to get it right.”
‘WE RING UNTIL WE DROP’
Ensemble members are Sarah, Henry and Kate Rossi; Emma and Charlotte Traver; Samantha and Caleb Huster; Joey and Cassie Martella; Trevor Williams, and Eli Prater.
They practice once a week and perform in church on the third Sunday of every month. The choir also performs holiday concerts throughout New Jersey, and joins other bell choirs in the Area 2 Festival, to be held in Pennsylvania in June this year.
In the summers, the ringers make extended trips, nationally and internationally. Last summer, they joined forces with their Presbyterian Church in Morristown counterparts to perform in England. This summer, they’re bound for Maine.
The group is self-funded. While local families host them when they travel, the ringers must raise money for other expenses. In addition to car washes and fruit- and cookie sales, the Walsh Choir in January held its first Ring-a-Thon.
“We will go to the church at 8 am and ring until we drop,” said Bozza. “Originally, we thought to try to beat the Guinness World Record for ensemble ringing, but there was more red tape and fees than we anticipated. Maybe next year!”
All the kids are involved in numerous other activities, bands, and sports.
“If you look at a list of all the extracurricular activities there are, it’s pretty likely that at least one of us will be in every one,” said one girl.
Their future plans are just as varied, from architecture to STEM. Eighth-grader Kate Rossi’s goal is more basic: “I’d like to be cool.”
Yet they all share one thing in common: Bells.
“They don’t all go to school together and there’s a disparity of age and experience, but they’ve become very close over the years. Trevor (Williams) has been doing this the longest – 11 years!” said Bozza.
“Excuse me?” interposed Sarah Rossi.
“Oh, sorry,” Bozza said with a laugh. “Trevor and Sarah started together!”
As the senior members of the group, those two will leave for college in the fall. But, they hastened to add, they’ll be back. Some returning members join the Walsh Memorial Bell Choir alumni. Others just want to help or fill in.
Once a bell ringer, always a bell ringer.
MORE COVERAGE OF MORRISTOWN ONSTAGE 2025
The Morris Educational Foundation presents the 18th annual Morristown Onstage on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, at the Mayo Performing Arts Center. Sixteen amateur acts from Greater Morristown will compete for $2,500 in prizes, in a benefit for the Morris School District. Tickets are $43-$95, available online or at MPAC, 100 South St., 973-539-8008.
Thank you for this lovely article! We are very proud of our kids and excited for tonight!