By DANIELLE RUSH
Not only did June Beck play in the first Kokomo Handbell Festival 25 years ago, she was one of its founders.
Rachel Johns, a member of Shiloh United Methodist Church’s Harmony Ringers youth choir, was not even born when the first festival was held in 1984 at First Presbyterian Church.
The two will be among members of the nine handbell choirs playing in this year’s 25th anniversary festival Saturday at Bible Baptist Church.
The festival concert, at 5:30 p.m., will include bell choirs from First Friends Church, First Presbyterian Church, Grace United Methodist Church, Parr United Methodist Church, Shiloh United Methodist Church, St. Luke United Methodist Church, Judson Baptist Church, Zion United Methodist Church and Redeemer Lutheran Church.
Beck said David Weck, who was guest conductor for the first festival, will direct the choirs during Saturday’s performance, which will include some of the songs played in the first festival.
Beck and fellow ringers Lloyd Schwartzendruber and Susie Killingbeck came up with the idea of a festival because “we each play in our own churches, and we rarely have an opportunity to hear other choirs.”
The festival provides an opportunity for handbell ringers to worship together and work with well-known directors from around the country.
This year’s conductor, Weck, is an editor with Hope Publishing Co. of Carol Stream, Ill., where he is responsible for the handbell catalog of more than 700 titles. He is in demand as a clinician and director of both local and national handbell events.
Beck said each director prepares his or her choir to prepare the pieces selected, using performance notes from the guest conductor. The groups bring their bells and other equipment to the festival site for rehearsals the day of the festival.
Mary Snyder is one of the directors who has prepared her group, the Harmony Ringers from Shiloh United Methodist Church, which includes students from third through sixth-grades.
She said participating in the festival is a great opportunity for her ringers.
“It’s neat for the kids to be able to hear what the bells sound like when there is a big group of them.”
She added that three levels of choirs will perform, and her group plays with the beginners. They enjoy hearing the performance of the more advanced ringers and playing for a larger audience than normal.
“They get the opportunity to hear harder pieces of music being done and played,” she said. “It’s just a neat experience.”
Sixth-grader Rachel Johns, who has played in the group for four years, likes playing with the massed choir.
“It’s neat because all the bell choirs come together,” Johns said. “If you miss a note, someone else can get it.”
Another choir member, Kindra Hamrick, said she likes seeing all the people and then playing music with them.
She said people should attend the concert because “it’s nice to watch and listen to it.”
Beck said one thing she enjoys about handbell choirs is that each person is equally important.
“No one person stands out in a bell choir,” said Beck. “It’s a team effort. You learn to blend, listen to and rely on other people.”
Beck said the concert is open to the public, with no admission charge. A freewill offering will be taken.
She encouraged people to attend, “for an evening of very enjoyable handbell music and a chance to worship with other denominations, and to support the handbell ringers in the community.”
