Welcome to Handbells
Directors: Carl Johnson and Lynelle Meyer
Commitment: September through April
Rehearsal Time:Tintinnabulators - Tuesday, 6:00 p.m. Ringmasters - Thursday, 6:00 p.m.
Ages: High School to Adult
The handbell groups at Walnut Hills have developed a long tradition of playing wonderful music with grace and gusto. The handbell groups are open to anyone who wishes to join. On many occasions, the handbells have joined with other ensembles to perform wonderful music.
Walnut Hills is the proud owner of a 5 octave set of Malmark Handbells and were last refurbished in 2007. Malmark is based out of Pennsylvania with just 47 employees. Although small, Malmark has earned the reputation as the world’s leading manufacturer of handbells.
The handbells are cast of bronze (about 80% copper and 20% tin). Once the bells have been shaped and tuned to the accuracy of 1/10th of a semitone the bells are polished (both inside and out) and are then are tuned again with the other bells in the set. “In the hands of the Malmark craftspeople, raw bronze is transformed into fine musical instruments of beauty and purity of tone. In the hands of bellringers, that beauty is released to ring out to the praise of God and the inspiration of Mankind.”
