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Home Arts & Culture Concordia Handbell Choir Releases CD, Adds New Chime

Concordia’s handbell choir plays during Christmas at Concordia in December 2016. Photo by Kim Sleeper.

 

by Hope Moural

 

Concordia’s handbell choir will showcase new developments at its annual spring concert, including a new chime and the release of a CD featuring the choir.

The handbell concert will be at 7 p.m. on April 25 at in the Recital Hall of the Music Building.

New to this performance will be the introduction of a 67” tall bass chime that was obtained by the choir just over two weeks ago.

Sophomore Jonathan Rippe is one of three students who is able to play the chime, but the only one that actually gets to play it.

“Ryan Gross and I were fanatic on doubling the lower part,” Rippe said. “It’s been such a wonderful, wonderful addition.”

Rippe says that the new chime adds to the music by creating a richer and deeper sound than the choir was able before.

The new instrument isn’t the only change the choir has seen this year. The choir is releasing a CD of recordings from the past few years titled Faithful. It will be available for sale after the concert and in the campus bookstore.

Handbell choir director Jessica Kite is excited for not only the release of the CD, but for the audience to pick up on the work the ringers are doing.

“I’m looking forward to the challenging piece and the new chime,” Kite said. “And we always try to emphasize the Gospel message into our music.”

The concert will include the performances by both the Concordia Handbell Choir and the Handbell II choir.

“The level of difficulty has increased. We are handling more bells with the same amount of people,” Kite said.

The concert will feature Lent and Easter hymns as well as a few movie themes, including “Music To Do Taxes By,” which involves both a typewriter and a shredder in the song.

“We try to do a variety of songs that fit with the church year,” Kite said. “We also do secular songs that feature different techniques as well.”

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