Event Summary: Handbells and Handchimes

A lot of you told me you wished you could have made it to the handbells workshop this weekend, so you'll be pleased to know that sophomore Maurice Watkins didn't miss a ding.

"On Saturday September 23, 2012, Kathleen Wissinger and Linda Sims visited the University of Maryland to host an informative workshop how handbells and handchimes could be incorporated into the music classroom. My knowledge of handbells/handchimes was very limited and I thought that they were only used for added effects in choral concerts during the holiday season. I quickly found out that there is an association called the Handbell Musicians of America (http://handbellmusicians.org/), an association in which handbell musicians throughout the country can share their music, experiences, and techniques. They even have chapters in locations as far away as Korea! Handbells are way more popular than I thought!

                  During the workshop, we learned techniques of handbells and handchimes such as echoes, muffling, martellato, and thumb damping. Ms. Wissinger led us through her arrangements and compositions that taught these techniques along with ensemble techniques. She explained to us that usually she starts her younger students with simple things in C major, sometimes not even requiring them to read music. For example, she reads the book “Chicken Soup with Rice” by Maurice Sendak to her first graders and they play their handchimes every time the phrase “sipping once, sipping twice, sipping chicken soup with rice” is repeated. In this way, they learn the basics of rhythm and some improvisation. For her older students, they begin reading music usually starting with I, IV, and V chords then moving forward into more complex literature. Ms. Wissinger and Ms. Sims both teach children, teens, and adult groups that perform at various locations such as school concerts and senior citizen homes.

                  I really enjoyed the workshop. It opened my eyes to a new way of teaching general music and ensemble techniques with an instrument I would never have thought to use. As both Ms. Wissinger and Ms. Sims pointed out, they only see their students in school for one hour a week, but their students always thoroughly enjoy themselves in class and can’t wait for music class to begin the following week. I really hope to use handbells/handchimes in my classroom when I begin teaching!" 

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