IntellectualMusician.com

About 18 years ago I accepted a position at a church as their new Director of Music Ministries. Most of the duties were familiar to me as I had been trained to conduct choral groups, write music, accompany when needed, etc. However, one of the responsibilities was a new one for me.

I had done many things as a musician but had never conducted handbell choirs. I had never even TOUCHED a handbell! When asked at the interview if I had any handbell experience, I could only reply that I had seen them a few times but could learn what was needed. Some might shy away from a new endeavor like this one but I found it exciting. I began the position in August of that year and attended a workshop for handbell directors the following October. As I stood with about 100 ringers from all over the state, I realized that I had a few things to learn.

The lady next to me was helping me as we rang one piece after another. It took me a short time to catch on but I managed. In the middle of the session, the clinician leading the event stopped conducting and took a moment to introduce Barbara Kane, the area chairperson for the 5 state region. This is a person elected by thousands of handbell ringers and is the most respected ringer and director known to them. As we all sat down to hear what she had to say, the lady next to me stood and approached the podium. It was her! I had spent all morning being “coached” by the area chairperson! It was a sign from heaven.

After that, handbells became a passion for me. I took that passion back to my church and, in a few years, to a school position. Since my degrees were in Music Ed, I wanted to return to teaching - choral music, General Music OR Music Appreciation and whatever else I could share. The particular school where I taught was a brand new facility and, as I was interviewing, I asked the principal if we could have handbells to develop a school-wide program. She indicated that it might be possible because there was money remaining from the building project. She called me a few days later, offered me the job AND told me that I could order the bells! I was ecstatic. Now, I could realize my dream of building a school-wide program of handbell choirs and ensembles AND use them in the General Music classroom.

The first year, I had 4 handbell choirs for students in that building, a group of older students from another building, AND a faculty/staff handbell choir that included the principal herself! How’s THAT for a beginning?! Handbells were new to everyone there. There was a great deal of excitement about them, however. Since handbells were new to everyone, I began with basic ringing techniques, music reading exercises, etc. AND did as much promotion work as I could. This was a 5th and 6th Grade building and these kids were beating down my door to be in the program.

Here’s the secret: I began using them in the classroom first - teaching music reading and ensemble skills. Soon after that, I auditioned 4 handbell choirs and kept all interested kids. The top level groups were asked to ring at the state’s Music Educator’s Conference. All 520 kids in the building had their own handbell gloves and came to class each week eager to ring. I used some published materials for beginning handbell choirs PLUS I wrote materials that seemed to fit my situation.

We had guests who would come and visit the classes to see how I used them with all of the kids. The students asked questions and we followed up with a quiz on the history of handbell usage, where they came from, and how they were made. We even talked about touring groups, handbell soloists from around the country, and even attended a concert or two in the area. What I discovered was that the kids learned to read music twice as fast because they were doing something physical (ringing the bells) AND something mental (reading the easy rhythms and notes) at the same time. I was convinced from then on that handbells are the NUMBER ONE music education tool! Their understanding of music deepened and I have no doubt that, if offered the opportunity, they would ring in another handbell choir in the blink of an eye.

This week, I am doing a brief workshop introducing handbells to people who have never rung before - those who have a curiousity about bells but had never touched them…sound familiar?! Perhaps I can pay back the kindness that my dear, late friend, Barbara Kane showed me many years ago. If YOU have the opportunity to ring OR share handbells with students, seize it! You will not regret it! Each day the kids came to my classroom they asked one question: “Mr. Day, are we going to ring today?” I was always happy when I could say to them: “Yes, kids, today we’re going to ring!”