FESTIVAL TO FEATURE LOCAL HANDBELL CHOIRS

When someone misses a practice for the Trinity Ringers Handbell Choir, other players notice. Notes don't get played, or another ringer has to fill in with little warning.

With handbells, it isn't quite like a choir of voices, said Director Judy Dissen. With 10 sopranos in a voice choir, if one is missing nine others can fill in. But with handbells, "there's a hole," Dissen said.

Most members of the choir are responsible for about three bells in the octave. They play a note and the accompanying sharp or flat. The choir has five octaves of handbells.

Handbell ringers don't just offer a unique musical sound when they play, they also offer a visual show. Because there are so many different techniques and ways to play a song with handbells, it's not just musically pleasing, but visually as well, Dissen said.

And bells are good for teaching people how to read music. Schools are using the instruments as teaching tools, she said. It teaches cooperation too, because people have to learn to play together.

Almost all the members of Trinity's choir read music, but you don't have to know how to read notes just to play. Many area choirs don't require it. Directors can mark music by notes that a person plays or color coordinate the bells.

Nine area handbell choirs will perform a concert Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Jackson Senior High School.

The choirs will play four songs collectively and then each will perform their own selection. Both sacred and secular music will be played.

Anne Miller of St. Louis will rehearse with the choirs from 1:30-5:30 p.m. prior to the evening concert. Miller is a member of the Gateway Ringers, an audition choir in St. Louis, and offers clinic on handbells.

She heard the choirs who performed during last year's concert and was so impressed she offered to lead rehearsals this year, say Ray Haring, event organizer.

Haring directs the handbell choir at Grace United Methodist Church. He started the handbell festival last year as a way to get the choirs together. "I had no idea how many were out there," Haring said. "Now it's just exploded."

Choirs from Sikeston and Poplar Bluff will attend this year's concert and rehearsal but didn't feel ready to perform. Both are just beginning to learn handbell music, Haring said. "Next year should be bigger and better."