Listening to and watching a handbell concert is truly a unique experience. On March 20, 2010 a handbell concert was presented at Concordia University, Irvine California. The concert was held in the Concordia University Center which is a delightful place to hear this music. It's bright interior shows off the beauty of the handbells and the acoustics allow the sound of the handbells to project and show the different techniques.
- The instruments
- The participants
- The program
The Handbell InstrumentsThe participants in the concert were six high schools with advanced programs in handbells and two college groups from Concordia University. Each of the groups presented two songs and the finale was a group ring by over seventy ringers. Each ringer has a group of bells for which they are responsible. The bells are highly polished and beautiful to watch as a ringer may move between ringing one, two, three, or four bells at a time and placing them back on the padded table only to replace one bell with another to meet the demands of the music.
Each handbell choir is made up of four, five, or six octaves of bells and most added hand chimes and other percussion to their individual works. Within any given song the bells were rung, malleted, twirled, damped, and pucked to produce the desired sound to express the music.
The Handbell Invitational Participants
The five high schools invited to participate were Cornelia Connelly High School of Anaheim CA, Faith Lutheran Junior/Senior High School of Las Vegas NV, Glendale High School Glendale CA, Mater Dei High School Santa Ana CA, and Will C. Wood High School Vacaville CA. In addition the Spirit Bells and the Concert Handbells both of Concordia University Irvine CA.
All ensembles are under the direction of very knowledgable and talented directors. Each of the directors belongs to several Professional organizations including the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers. (AGEHR). Each had a unique style and very talented musicians under their instruction.
The Program
Each of the participating schools performed two individual pieces and then combined for a finale featuring all of the ringers. Dr. Herbert Geisler of Concordia was the organizer and director of the concert. His program at Concordia is the only Masters of Music in Handbells that is available and his skills are easy to see in a concert like this one. He also directed the finale in which all the choirs joined to ring Dance and Air in C by Arnold Sherman. With over seventy ringers, Dr Geisler was able to show off the variety of techniques, the volume of a mass ringing , and the expression and control in this setting.
Seeing and hearing the handbells was an inspiring opportunity for any music lover.
Kim Youmans - Kim Youmans is an acclaimed educator, teaching preschool through graduate school. He writes about Theology, travels, and the outdoors.
