GISSV Archives | Larry and Carla

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.

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

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.

Did we mention the spectacular 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!

When Carla lived in England, visiting a German Holiday Market was an important part of the run-up to Christmas. With spiced apple cider, Lebkuchen, live music, twinkling lights and a festive atmosphere, a German market is always a great place to buy gifts, and get into the holiday spirit. Carla missed the sights and sounds of the traditional Christmas Markets during our first Christmas together here in California.

So we were very happy to discover, in 2013, that the German International School of Silicon Valley was planning a German Holiday Market here in Mountain View! We played handbell duets there, and had a great time. This year, we were pleased to return for the 2014 Holiday Market.

After several days of heavy rain, the sun shone over Mountain View on the morning of Saturday, December 13th. We played Christmas and holiday duets to open the market, and then came back for another session in the early afternoon. When we weren’t playing handbells, we enjoyed looking at the crafts and gifts. Yes, we bought some European chocolate and gingerbread for Christmas!

We had a lovely time at the market, and were sorry not to be able to stay longer. Holiday markets always seem even more special in the evening, when the Christmas lights are twinkling! You can find our photos from the event on our Facebook page.