Category Archives: Concerts, Performances and Events

Handbell Duets with Organ Accompaniment!

We’re excited to be able to add a new video to our selection of handbell duets with organ accompaniment! Over the last few years, we’ve very much enjoyed being part of the music ministry at Los Altos United Methodist Church. We’ve led Monday evening rehearsals with the Alleluia Ringers, and played handbells in Sunday morning services.

One of the highlights for us has been collaborating with some of the talented musicians at the church. We’ve added handbell parts to choir anthems, used our bells to accompany congregational singing, and performed in concerts for the Alzheimer’s Association. It’s been so much fun to hear music played by Senior Organist T. Paul Rosas in the morning services. Paul has written accompaniments to a couple of our 8-bell pieces too!

It’s been a long time coming, but we finally managed to get a video of Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee with organ accompaniment. We’re grateful to Los Altos UMC for this recording from the last of three morning services on May 22nd, 2016:

We also have a recording from the summer of 2015, when we performed this piece in our concert with Philadelphia Bronze in King of Prussia, Organist Ross Boerner is the Director of Music Ministries at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church:

Would you like to play our handbell duets with organ accompaniment?

If you’d like to play Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee, the music is available for purchase and download from Choraegus. You can buy it either with or without the organ accompaniment.

You might also like to take a look at our other organ-and-handbells collaboration, which we published earlier this year. Come Christians, Join to Sing is also available from Choraegus. We played this on Easter Sunday!

Any questions?

We’re always happy to answer questions about buying or playing our music. If you have questions, please contact us and we’ll be glad to help.

Tico Tico no Fubá – at the Bay View Week of Handbells

We’re excited that Larry’s arrangement of Tico Tico no Fubá is on the repertoire list for this year’s Bay View Week of Handbells! The Week of Handbells is an event that’s very special to us.

Tico Tico no Fubá - handbells

Information about the sheet music

If you need to purchase a copy of Tico Tico no Fubá for the event, you’ll find it on Choraegus. Please note that the music will be sent to you as a PDF file for you to download and print for yourself. You won’t receive anything in the mail. If you’re unsure about what’s involved in buying music from us, you may find our buying guides helpful, and the step-by-step guide.

If you have any questions, or you’re unable to order online for any reason, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help.

Videos of Tico Tico

Here are two videos. The first is a demonstration video, produced before this arrangement had ever been played on handbells. The second video is from a rehearsal at the 2015 Distinctly Bronze event, which took place in Portland, Oregon.

This year’s Bay View Week of Handbells repertoire looks as exciting as ever. Here’s the full list of pieces, with composers/arrangers and publishers’ information.

PROCESSIONAL by Arnold Sherman (organ and bells) (Agape 2195)

ALLEGRETTO arr. Michael Mazzatenta (From the Top Music 20428)

ALL CREATURES OF OUR GOD AND KING arr. Alex Guebert (Choristers Guild CGB962)

OBLIVION by Douglas Anderson (From the Top Music 20426)

SONATA IN BAROQUE STYLE by Michael Helman (Beckenhorst HB497)

GIVE ME JESUS arr. John Behnke (AGEHR AG46025)

TOCCATA ON ‘KING’S WESTON arr. Matthew Compton  (Agape 2767)

THE DRUNKEN SAILOR arr. Carl Wiltse (Stained Glass Music)

TICO TICO NO FUBÁ arr. Larry Sue (Choraegus)

AUTUMN LEAVES arr. Andrea Handley (Red River Music RRG5018)

NOLLIRAC CARILLON by Fred Gramann (Unpublished; available only from Heitz Handbells and Music)

GIVE US PEACE IN OUR TIME arr. Donald E. Allured (Composers Music Company HW0550)

CONCERTO FOR HANDBELLS AND ORGAN IN BAROQUE STYLE by Michael Helman (Beckenhorst HB424A)

THE LORD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU by Peter Lutkin (sung; not played)

We can’t wait to get started with rehearsing for this event. This year’s Week of Handbells will be another great one!

Music for Advent and Christmas, at the Chapel of the Chimes, Oakland

Here’s a little video of our warm-up session at the Chapel of the Chimes, Oakland, where we played duets at their Annual Night of Remembrance on December 9th.  Apologies for the background noise (which does improve slightly as the video goes on). We made this recording while people were running around, setting everything up for the evening’s event.

We enjoy playing our handbell duets at the Chapel of the Chimes. It’s a beautiful building, and this annual event is always enjoyable and moving.

Nearly at the end of our holiday performances

We’re coming to the end of our Christmas and holiday performances now. We’ll be performing at a private holiday party on Saturday. Afterwards, we’ll be playing at the Sundar Shadi Holiday Display in El Cerrito, returning for a second performance on December 23rd. The Holiday Display is an outdoor event, and we can’t play our handbells in the rain. Please keep an eye on our Facebook page for any changes, postponements or cancellations in the event of bad weather.

Chapel of the Chimes - handbells

Would you like to book us for a holiday event?

Perhaps it’s too late to book us for a holiday event this year, but it’s never too early to plan for next year! If you’re organising a Christmas event, and you’d like to consider handbell music, please get in touch with us!

The Holiday Season Continues… with More Handbell Duet Performances

It’s been another busy week of handbell duet performances for us! We played at the Salvation Army Kettle here in Mountain View, and at fun holiday events in Palo Alto and Los Altos. We also had another opportunity to play our handbells at the Annual Night of Remembrance at the Chapel of the Chimes in Oakland.

Have we mentioned how much we love playing handbells at the Chapel of the Chimes? The Night of Remembrance is always a very special evening. People gather together to remember loved ones who are no longer with us, and to light candles and celebrate lives. The building itself is a beautiful place. It has Gothic-style architecture and intricate stonework that reminds Carla of much older churches and cathedrals in England.

Chapel of the Chimes 1

There’s also a Christmas tree that looks like this:

Chapel of the Chimes 2

We played two pieces during the service itself: The Water is Wide (also known as The Gift of Love) and Moreton Bay. Then we moved our bells to the area beside the beautiful Christmas tree. There, we played a selection of Christmas carols and holiday music while guests enjoyed refreshments.

Handbell duet performances

Did we mention the spectacular Christmas tree?

Chapel of the Chimes Christmas tree

More holiday performances ahead!

Our weekend will continue with performances at the German Christmas Market in Mountain View. We’re also looking forward to our concert with VoiceWorks in Redwood City tomorrow. And on Monday, we’ll be taking a nap – unless another booking arrives! Yes, we’re still available for last-minute bookings in the run-up to Christmas. Contact us if you’d like to book us for your event!

More Holiday Performances to Come

We’re enjoying the run-up to Christmas, and there are more holiday performances to come!

We spent last weekend at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts. We played our handbell duets before and after the Pacific Ballet Academy’s performances of The Nutcracker. It was fun to receive such a warm welcome from so many people who recognised us from previous years! For us, this was the perfect opportunity to share some of our 8-bell Nutcracker pieces, easing gently into a selection of Advent, Christmas and holiday music.

More holiday performances with Larry and Carla

On Tuesday afternoon we played our first session at the Salvation Army Red Kettle, here in Mountain View. We played duets for two hours, and people gave generously to help local people at Christmas and throughout the year.

Salvation Army Red Kettle - handbell duo

Don’t miss our concert with VoiceWorks!

On Wednesday we went to Redwood City to rehearse with VoiceWorks for our shared concert on December 13th. It’s going to be a fun concert!

VoiceWorks Larry and Carla poster

On Thursday afternoon we had a delightfully festive time playing Christmas carols at the Christmas meeting of a church group in Campbell. An enthusiastic audience is a very good thing. We had eight willing volunteers for our “have-a-go” session, playing Jingle Bells on handchimes. We very much enjoyed our visit, and appreciated the warm welcome we received.

Holiday event in Campbell 2015

On Thursday evening, we took part in the Kara Candlelight Service of Remembrance in Palo Alto. This is an annual event, and is always an emotional and moving evening.

SAMSUNG CSC

Friday morning started early for us, with a trip to Palo Alto for a performance at a private meeting/holiday celebration there. We arrived early and spent a fun half-hour looking around the shops in chilly downtown Palo Alto.

We had a great time (and lovely, much-needed coffee and breakfast) at this event. Audience members asked us some interesting questions about our bells and music. Handbell music always seems to get people into the holiday spirit, even quite early in the morning at the start of a busy working day!

Palo Alto December 2015 4Palo Alto, December 2015 3

Next week’s events

Next week will bring another session at the Salvation Army Red Kettle. There will also be private holiday events in Palo Alto and Los Altos. We’ll be playing duets at the Chapel of the Chimes, Oakland, and at our concert with VoiceWorks in Redwood City.

Let the Merry Bells Ring – a Concert with VoiceWorks

Let the Merry Bells Ring! We’re looking forward to presenting this holiday concert with VoiceWorks in Redwood City. The choirs will be singing, our bells will be ringing, and we’ll all be celebrating the sounds of the season with carols and wintry holiday music.

VoiceWorks is a community choir of young voices, directed by Catherine Doyle. Their music will be accompanied by pianists Leslie Chang, Brian Connor and Russell Green. We’ll be adding specially-arranged handbell parts to some of the choir pieces for this concert, and we’ll also be performing some duets on our own. There’s something very special about the combination of voices and bells at this time of year, and we’re looking forward to being part of this event.

It’s all happening at 4:00pm on Sunday, December 13th, at the Unitarian Universal Fellowship of Redwood City, CA 94062. Tickets are $15, or $10 for students or seniors. You can buy your tickets in advance, or at the door. Contact us if you have any questions, and we can put you in touch with the choir director.

We hope to see you at this concert. Let the merry bells ring, voices sing, and celebrate the holiday season in Redwood City!

Let the Merry Bells Ring

Looking Forward to Christmas and the Holiday Season!

We’re looking forward to Christmas this year! It’s a busy and fun time of year for us, as we get ready for the upcoming holiday season. We’ve been rehearsing Christmas carols and preparing music for events and performances here in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Handbells at the Salvation Army Kettle

We’ll be starting December with two sessions at the Salvation Army Red Kettle at Nob Hill Foods in Mountain View. We’ll be playing our duets there between 1:00pm and 3:00pm on December 1st, and between 3:00pm and 5:00pm on December 7th.

The Kara Annual Candlelight Service of Remembrance

We’ll be at the Kara Annual Candlelight Service of Remembrance on December 3rd. This will be the third year we’ve taken part in this very special event in Palo Alto. Members of the community are invited to join together to remember loved ones and significant others who have died. It’s a non-denominational service open to all.

Earlier that day, we’ll be taking our bells and handchimes to a private event in Campbell. We’ll be playing duets there, and leading a “have a go” session on chimes. The following morning we’ll be playing a selection of holiday pieces at a breakfast meeting in Palo Alto.

Chapel of the Chimes Night of Remembrance

We’ll be at the annual Night of Remembrance at the Chapel of the Chimes in Oakland on December 9th, playing duets as candles are lit in memory of loved ones who have passed away.

A busy weekend at the German Holiday Market and VoiceWorks concert

Saturday 12th December will be a busy day for us as we play duets at the German Holiday Market here in Mountain View, organized by the German International School of Silicon Valley. This will be our third year at this fun and festive event. In the evening, we’ll be heading to Los Altos to play holiday music at a private event there.

On Sunday 13th, we’ll be performing in a shared concert with VoiceWorks, in Redwood City. We’ve been enjoying working with this group, and are looking forward to presenting a festive program of holiday music featuring bells and voices. More information will be coming soon!

Handbell duets at the Sundar Shadi Holiday Display

On December 19th and 23rd, we’ll be playing our duets at the Sundar Shadi Holiday Display in El Cerrito. This is one of the highlights of our holiday season, and if you’re anywhere near El Cerrito, you should definitely take time to visit the display this December!

For more information about any of the above events and performances, please look at our Facebook page, or contact us. It’s not too late to book us to play handbell duets at your own holiday event, so get in touch if you’d like to!

Larry and Carla - Christmas

Book us for the 2015 Christmas and Holiday Season!

Need music for your event this winter? It’s time to book us for the 2015 Christmas and holiday season!

Handbells can bring a magical and festive atmosphere to any Christmas or holiday event. We can give a seasonal performance of carols and holiday music. We can provide background music to add that special, welcoming touch to your corporate event or holiday gathering. Nothing says Christmas quite as well as the traditional sound of English handbells beside the Christmas tree. . Our duet performances can bring the sounds of the season to hotel lobbies, church services, shopping malls and private homes!

As the 2015 Christmas and holiday season approaches, we’re looking forward to some fun performances! We’ll be joining VoiceWorks for a concert on December 13th. You’ll also be able to see us at the German Holiday Market in Mountain View. If you’re near El Cerrito, look for us at the Sundar Shadi Holiday Display. We’ll also be adding the beautiful sound of handbells to annual services of remembrance in Palo Alto and Oakland.

Why not listen to some of our handbell duets, and consider booking us for your 2015 holiday event? If you need more information or have questions, please contact us!

The 2015 Christmas and holiday season - with handbells

Have you Ever Heard an Alphorn?

If you haven’t hard an alphorn before, here’s your chance! There are only a few more days to go until Saturday’s Alzheimer’s Benefit Concert. If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, we hope you’ll come along!

Alzheimer's Benefit Concert - Alphorn

More information about the concert, written by organizer T. Paul Rosas:

Date and time: Saturday, October 3rd 2015 at 3:00pm

Place: LAUMC Sanctuary, 655 Magdalena Ave., Los Altos (at the corner of Foothill Expressway and Magdalena)

This year’s concert includes compositions by two of the Bay Area’s favorite composers, Sondra Clark and Brian Holmes. Sondra’s piece, “That Time of Year” is a setting of one of Shakespeare’s sonnets. Anne Janzer sings it beautifully. Brian Holmes will demonstrate and play the Alphorn for us. He has written two delightful pieces, “Amazing Grace” for Alphorn and organ and “Twilight in the Alps” for Alphorn and vocal trio. Casie Walker, Anne Janzer and Mayo Tsuzuki are the trio.

The program also includes a groovy piece for jazz organ and percussion, played by Paul Rosas and Dylan Damonte; evocative piano and organ duets by Dirk Damonte and Paul Rosas and the extraordinary dancing bells of Bay Area handbell duo, Larry and Carla Sue. The program will end with a “Jig for Handbells and Organ” written by Paul Rosas that will have everyone dancing.

It promises to be unique and entertaining event given to support the ongoing research into Alzheimer’s disease as well as the home services provided by the organization. Please invite your friends and family to come. It really is going to be a special concert.”

Admission to the concert is free, but a collection will be made to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association. If you can’t come to the concert, but would like to support our fundraising efforts for this important cause, please visit our Walk to End Alzheimer’s fundraising page and make an online donation there.

Alzheimer's Benefit Concert

Coming Soon – Another Alzheimer’s Benefit Concert

We’re excited to be taking part in another Alzheimer’s Benefit concert! These concerts help raise money for research and services provided by the Alzheimer’s Association.

This concert will take place at Los Altos United Methodist Church on October 3rd, 2015 at 3:00pm. The performance will feature Larry and Carla Sue playing handbells, and Brian Holmes on the Alphorn. Dylan Damonte will play percussion, and concert organiser T. Paul Rosas will play organ and piano.

Admission to the concert is free, and an offering will be collected for the Alzheimer’s Association. There’s no need to apply for tickets in advance. You’ll be very welcome on the day! If you’ve never heard an Alphorn, there’s even more reason to attend. Brian Holmes is an expert, and he’ll tell you everything you need to know about this unusual instrument. You might even get the opportunity to participate in the performance of one of the pieces!

If you’re unable to attend the Alzheimer’s Benefit Concert, you can still make a donation if you’d like to. Please contact us and we can tell you how!

Alzheimer's Benefit Concert 2015

Here we are, pictured with T. Paul Rosas at Los Altos United Methodist Church. We hope to see you at the concert!