Ringing in Christmas! Enjoy the traditional sounds of Christmas handbells at Hudsonville Library! Michigan handbell duo Larry and Carla will be back for the seventh time with a program of handbell duets!

More about Larry and Carla

Larry and Carla started playing handbells when Carla lived in England and Larry lived in California. Their shared love of these unusual musical instruments led to a chance meeting online! Larry and Carla spent nearly three years in a long-distance relationship, and eventually they were able to go through the US visa process before getting married in California in 2012. They moved from California to Holland, Michigan in the summer of 2016, and became West Michigan’s Smallest Handbell Choir! They play duets using just eight handbells, and love to show how much music can be played using such a small number of bells.

This will be Larry and Carla’s seventh time at this popular Hudsonville Library holiday event. They’ll demonstrate the art of playing handbells by holding two bells in each hand. Their program will include some well-known carols, as well as some less-familiar holiday tunes from around the world. You’ll also hear music played on a set of of handchimes, and perhaps even have a chance to try playing them! There will be plenty of opportunity to ask all your burning questions about handbells, and coffee and snacks will be provided.;

Not sure what to expect? Here’s a recording of Larry and Carla playing handbells in their home last Christmas:

We look forward to welcoming you to Ringing in Christmas, presented by the Friends of the Gary Byker Memorial Library.

Ringing in Christmas – a note about winter weather!

NOTE: If the weather’s bad on the day, please check with the library (or on our Facebook page) before venturing out. If the library’s open, we’ll plan to be there, but your safety is always a priority. Here’s a photo from last December, when the snow was falling heavily but the event still happened as planned. Now that we’ve lived in Michigan for a few years, we’re used to all the fun of the winter snowstorms!