River City Ringers of Omaha Scholarship

Born on a Wednesday, a week later, I was under the bell tables being rocked to the sweet sounds of bells. Bell music has filled my soul and life from the car seat, to a front pack, to dancing around the tables, to finally ringing. In 5th grade, I was old enough to join my older sister, mother, and grandmother in making music for our church. Since then, I have played in one, if not more, handbell choirs every year and had amazing opportunities to ring. I have had the privilege of being surrounded by people who are as passionate about bells as I am. My grandmother bought her own four-octave handbell set to start a handbell choir at her church. Using her bells, my knowledge and passion for handbells were expanded through solos, duets, quartets, and other small group opportunities. Sharing handbells at 4-H performance days and through demonstrations at the Kansas State Fair, I got to share my love of handbells with a different audience population. In 2022, I took a risk and auditioned for Global Bronze Productions' National Youth Handbell Choir led by Kevin McChesney in Virginia. This forever changed my handbell experiences. I love playing McChesney's music, and playing under him for ten-hour rehearsals made my love for ringing blossom more. Returning home, I shared the joy and excitement I had experienced with my mother, which led us to join Global Bronze Productions’ professional choir for the Ringing Nativity directed by Brian Childers at the Museum of the Bible, and the Great Christmas Ring on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Experiencing this with my mother was a dream come true. I then brought the Great Christmas Ring back to Kansas, where I got ringers from many choirs to ring at movie theaters and a Hallmark movie convention in Kansas City. Between these events and workshops with Jason Krug, Christine Anderson, Danny Lyons, and Cathy Moklebust, exposure to composers has expanded my techniques and passion for playing. Each composer has a special touch that makes their music unique. Some of my favorite pieces I’ve played were Tempest by Kevin McChesney under the direction of Kevin McChesney and Savior of the Nations Come by Sandra Eithun. During Covid, Jason Krug wrote many pieces for 8 or 12 bells, which I would play as a duet or quartet. These were a great way to continue to share handbells and play during Covid. My favorites by Krug are Kingsfold and Arise. Graduating meant leaving my handbell choirs behind, so I searched colleges that had handbell programs. I auditioned the day I moved into Concordia University Nebraska and was placed in the advanced choir my first semester. Their 7 octave choir has been a highlight of my week, twice a week for my two years of college, and it will continue to be till I graduate. It is one of the only collegiate handbell choirs in the Midwest. I am looking forward to bringing my small group music to college and encouraging our ringers to take on a new challenge that I grew to love. From birth through college, I have been blessed by bells. Can you really play in too many choirs or have too many bells? I love playing 4 in hand, and can play 6 in hand. My skills as a musician have grown through playing handbells for four church choirs, a community choir, two college choirs, duets, solos, and quartets. With bells in my hand, music in my soul, and a passion in my heart, I hope to bring the joy of this instrument to others.

Many years ago, when I was probably five years old, I played a little yellow handbell in "Happy Birthday". I was the smallest one there, and I felt a little silly, playing just one note. It was a G, perhaps, or F, or A. I don't exactly remember what note, but I remember how much I worried I would play my note at the wrong time. I figured it was a one time thing, that even if I messed up, I could just go back to playing barbies and never bother with a bell again. But I could not have been more wrong, and I never could have imagined how much handbells would come to mean to me. In sixth grade, I started playing violin, and as I entered high school, switched to viola, and joined choir at Central High school, my eagerness to participate in music grew. I have always loved fiddling with whatever instrument I can get my hands on, and I love making music with other people, so when my friend mentioned that I should join bell choir, I quickly decided I would go. From the first time I sightread with the group, I was charmed. The beautiful sound of the bell alone was wonderful, and the unique sort of collaboration necessary for handbells inspired me. I had to not only read the music in front of me, but also listen and respond to the bells around me with a special attention not found anywhere else. Of course, in orchestra, and choir, listening is vital, but to each hold a note, and to weave your note into a melodic line without having any control over when and how the other notes are played takes a focus and musical sense that exceeds anything else I have experienced. Beyond these intricacies, bell choir is such a deeply emotional form of music. In many communities, there is great emotion and importance associated with the sound of the bell. They sing of life and death, herald in bridal parties and funeral processions. With such history even the humble handbell carries the weight of all this. It sings of whatever the piece was intended for, yes, but also of community and coming together in our highest and lowest moments. As you can guess, handbells have come to mean a great deal to me, in the two years that I have been blessed to experience them. As I go on to pursue my undergrad in viola performance, with singing as my secondary instrument, I dearly hope to continue with bells. Thankfully, the school I am committed to, St. Olaf, has a fine handbell choir. And beyond college, I know I will always try to find time in my life for bells, for the sake of their history, their beauty, and the joyful connections they bring.