“Hark! How the bells,” sweet, gold handbells all seem to cheer ‘Christmas is here!’ ”
At least, it’s just one more way the congregation at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Mercer knows the season is upon us.
It had been a few years since the church had a handbell choir and some former members recently decided they’d like to start one up again, member Joanna Julock said.
The group basically “strong-armed” Shawn Timblin into directing the choir because the church’s regular choir director recently had a baby and didn’t have time, Mrs. Julock said.
A Youngstown State University Dana School of Music graduate, Timblin lives in Grove City with his wife Marsha, also a member of the choir, and their toddler son Graham. Mrs. Timblin said that since her husband doesn’t use his degree in his daily job, so the ensemble is a chance for him to do something musical that he enjoys.
The handbell choir has received a lot of compliments from people after Sunday service performances, the first one being held after only three practices.
“A lot of people never played handbells before, so it’s really amazing,” Mrs. Timblin said.
Timblin said most everyone has played another instrument so no one had to learn to read music.
“I can get up and flap my hands and everyone follows along,” he joked.
Once the word was out that the choir was forming, it wasn’t hard to get people to join, Mrs. Timblin said.
“I like being part of a musical group and it’s fun to add more music to the season,” Mrs. Julock said.
Members range from high schoolers to retirees all working in tandem playing individual notes that combine to essentially function like one instrument.
Though the concentration on each ringer’s face is evident at a recent rehearsal, everyone seems to be having a good time.
When someone makes a mistake, they take credit for it.
“Oops. Sorry,” one of them called out after a sour note during a tricky section of a tune.
There may be some good-natured teasing, but they’re also just as quick to compliment each other.
“That was nice,” Timblin said after a particularly sweet-sounding stab at “The First Noel.” “One more time so that sticks.”
The choir is a family affair, as well.
Sisters Laura Wanchick of Hermitage and Mrs. Julock and their mother Jean Wanchick, both of Mercer, all play in the choir, as do Mercerites Delores Stone and her grandsons Russell and Michael.
Timblin’s wife Marsha and her sister Holly Schubert of Mercer both play in the group. Before they moved from Mercer to Grove City a few years ago, the Timblins played in the bell choir at Christ Lutheran Church, Sharon, where Mrs. Timblin’s mother Kathy Schubert still rings.
They’ve got no performances scheduled after the church’s Christmas eve service, but Timblin said they’ll “see where it goes.”
He said he’d like to continue the group after the holiday season. Other members include Sandee Swansiger, Craig Mercer, Julia Weller and Carol Giangiordano.
Some universities and communities have handbell choirs and there seems to be a resurgence in the musical form, the Timblins said.
Modern handbell ensembles descend from the way church tower bell ringers practiced their craft in 17th century England.
There are different techniques used to make different types of tones with the bells, Timblin said. They range from the basic ring where a player pushes the bell out in front of them in a vertically circular motion and then tucks the bell into their shoulder to dampen the sound to more complicated styles like shaking them, plucking the clapper, playing with mallets and the tower swing, which moves the bell alongside the ringer’s body.
