Thursday, June 5, 2008

Junior Jinglers


When I was younger, I was somewhat forced into playing handbells with our "Junior Jinglers" handbells choir. (why do they call it a "choir"???) And when you turned 13, if you were really good you got to move up to the Teen Tintinnabulaters (sp?) and compete in state-wide, and then national competitions.


Some of you may be wondering - other than age, what was the difference in the two?



The difference between the two? WHOA - let me tell you.



In the Junior Jinglers, I had to stand on a step stool in order to be seen by anyone over the big padded, navy-blue-fabric-covered tables in my oversized robe, be able to reach my handbells, and also be able to see the color coded highlight marks over the notes on my music so I knew when to swing the bell in my LEFT hand, when to swing the Bell in my RIGHT hand, and when to switch handbells with the other ones on the table. (I played the little, higher note bells... so there was a LOT more action up on my end!)


But in Teen Tintinnabulaters - the only highlighting you were allowed to do was to let you know when to do a two step spin turn all-the-while ringing your handbell and then softly quieting it on your shoulder. (And even then the highlighting was majorly frowned upon by Pastor Smile-to-the-crowd-but-scare-the-little-handbell-players-with-your-scowl... we called him Pastor Tom for short.)




Ah yes - handbells have now become a lost art form. One that I GRACIOUS accept (and pray fervently) to never return.



As for Pastor Tom - don't say "fart" around him. BIIIIIGGG no-no on that one. Otherwise, you'll get sent out of Handbell practice, like you're being sent to the Principal's office, and schooled on your role as a Pator's Kid, and how your mouth shouldn't utter such obscenities. No joke. Just ask my Big sister - April.







PS - Don't EVER pick up the handbells without wearing gloves - it's like suicide to your hendbell career. Next thing you know, you won't be allowed to unpack them from the boxes, for fear that you'll clank them together - chipping the most essential handbell and ruining their sounds FOR-E-VER!!! FORREEEVVVVERR!!! (yes - I was just referencing The Sandlot, there)

3 comments:

April E. :) said...

it IS slow huh?? I was a Teen Ten, Tinabu, Teen Tinabula....oh whatever....and I QUIT right when they anounced us wearing those puffy sleeved disasters to the competition. NO THANK YOU!

James Wilson said...

You're good at this blogging stuff, keep it up! You're on my RSS feed and I read every post!

Many Titles said...

Lol, April took the words right out of my mouth. It must be a super slow week for you. But tomorrow should be better, right? We never had handbells at our church. And I don't feel like I don't feel like I missed out.