Handbell Choir

The Handbell Choir played for the first time this year at Church today. Don is directing again this year. The more I see him working, the more impressed I am with his musical talent. He writes warm-up exercises, chooses music appropriate to the number of members and the experience represented, and many times has re-written music (or re-arranged it) to gear it to the needs of the current choir. And every year he has a different group of people and starts the training process all over again. Sometimes, we'll have a piece prepared for a Sunday performance and, at the final practice, someone will either not show or announce that they won't be there on Sunday. There have been several times that Don has had to take on someone else's handbells at the last practice before a performance and play while directing on Sunday with little or no rehearsal. He's very encouraging and great to work with.

This year, at our first rehearsal, we discovered that we had lost 4 members from the previous season. At two notes per player, that means that we lost more than an octave of bells. It was quite a challenge for Don to re-assign the players who were left and try and find music that could be played with so few hands.

Don decided to put out a general call for volunteers. The following Sunday, he put an octave of bells out on a table in the Fellowship Hall after Church and was available to answer questions and let people try them out. Within ten minutes, the table was surrounded by children. Even if adults had been interested, there was no chance of getting anywhere near the bells. However, one young mother told me she was interested and asked what time rehearsals were held. A couple of children expressed a sincere interest in trying. One was a young pre-teen and another was a family friend of hers, a 16-yr. old. In addition, our son, Dane, asked if he could play. Last year, he sang in the Children's Choir, which rehearsed from 6 - 7 p.m. Handbells practiced until 7:30, so he would join us and stand beside me at my table, asking constant questions and itching to get his hand on a bell.

So, we got four new musicians this year, ranging in age from 6 to the mid-20's. We played a simple song today that we've only been working on for two weeks, a bell version of "Fairest Lord Jesus". Dane nailed every note. I was very proud of him.

If Don's not careful, he's in danger of forcing out the older folks or having to start a children's bell choir. But it was beautiful today and a lot of fun for all involved. There's nothing like having one of your children performing alongside of you.