Tag Archives: Los Altos

Getting Back to Duet Performances – in California!

We’re finally getting back to handbell duet performances – in California! After Larry’s surgery in January, we had to take a break from playing handbell duets for a while. We’d had a busy run-up to Christmas, so we cleared our schedule for a few months to give Larry the opportunity to relax for a while and make a good recovery. Larry’s not the kind of person to sit around and be idle, so he made good use of his time, and wrote lots of new handbell music. However, now the “relaxation” is over, and we’re excited to be preparing for some spring handbell performances!

We’re excited to be going back to the Bay Area Spring Ring!

Our first performance weekend is almost upon us. We’ll be heading to the San Francisco Bay Area, for the Bay Area Spring Ring. We’ll be teaching classes on bass handbells and British-style four-in-hand ringing, and presenting the lunchtime concert on Saturday. We’re looking forward to going back to the Bay Area and seeing some of our California friends again!

Duet performance in California - handbell concert
Returning to the San Francisco Bay Area for a concert!

While we’re in California this weekend, our home city of Holland will be holding its annual Tulip Time Festival. There will be parades, Dutch dancing, five million tulips… and a lot of visitors in town! On Sunday afternoon, we’ll be joining the celebrations by presenting a concert of handbell duets at Los Altos Lutheran Church. Our program, All the Way from Holland, will include a selection of our favourite hymns and traditional melodies, with a few Dutch tunes too!

After Sunday’s concert, we’ll have just two days before we fly back to Michigan. We’ll be trying our best to visit a few of our favourite California locations while we have the chance. We’re hoping to return to Point Lobos and Half Moon Bay, and, if time allows, to go to Santa Cruz in search of sea lions! We’ll enjoy being tourists in the Bay Area for a couple of days, then we’ll be heading back to Holland to enjoy the last few days of Tulip Time!

All the Way from Holland - tulips
Tulips in Holland, Michigan – bright and beautiful!

An Alzheimer’s Benefit Concert on Saturday, June 18th!

It’s time for another Alzheimer’s Benefit Concert! Once again we’ve teamed up with T. Paul Rosas, Senior Organist at Los Altos United Methodist Church, to offer an evening of music and entertainment for a very good cause.

Alzheimers Concert Poster 2016

This concert will be fun! We’ll be playing some of our eight-bell duets, including two that are brand-new and unpublished – Linstead Market and I Vow to Thee My Country. We’ll also be presenting two “world premiere” performances of handbell and organ collaborations!

Larry and Carla
Larry and Carla

About T. Paul Rosas

T. Paul Rosas is the founder and organizer of Alzheimer’s Benefit Concerts in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is an accomplished organist and composer. Paul loves to combine many different styles of music and different performers to create unique and exciting musical events. He uses his talents to benefit research into Alzheimer’s Disease.

Paul is the Senior Organist for Los Altos United Methodist Church. He also works with such notable local groups as Master Sinfonia and Schola Cantorum. On Saturday evening, Paul will be playing some great pieces on the organ and piano. If you were disappointed not to hear Debussy’s “Clair de Lune” at LAUMC a couple of Sundays ago, you’ll be able to hear it on Saturday instead!

Alzheimer's Benefit Concert with Paul Rosas
T. Paul Rosas at the piano

About Anna Bekker

We’re excited that talented mezzo-soprano Anna Bekker will also be joining us for the evening. Anna is a graduate of the University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music. She has performed as both a vocalist and a pianist in various settings throughout the United States and abroad. She has given concerts in the United Kingdom, Germany, the Czech Republic and Italy. Anna has spent a great deal of her musical career as a choral singer, performing extensively, including performances at Davies Symphony Hall and Carnegie Hall. She will be performing three art songs at the concert on Saturday evening.

Anna Bekker
Anna Bekker

The evening will finish with an ice cream reception. Admission is free, and an offering will be taken to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association. We hope you’ll be able to come along to what promises to be a fun and entertaining concert!

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.

New Music for Handbells – Take the Name of Jesus With You

“Take the Name of Jesus with you,
Child of sorrow and of woe,
It will joy and comfort give you;
Take it then, where’er you go.
Precious Name, O how sweet!
Hope of earth and joy of Heav’n.
Precious Name, O how sweet!
Hope of earth and joy of Heav’n.”

Here’s our latest 8-bell arrangement – the hymn Take the Name of Jesus With You (PRECIOUS NAME). We recorded this video during a rehearsal at Los Altos United Methodist Church. It’s a lively and fun arrangement to play!

How to get the sheet music

If you’d like to play this piece, the music is available from Choraegus.

When you purchase sheet music from Choraegus, you’ll need to remember that it comes to you as a digital (PDF) file. You’ll be responsible for printing your own music, and you won’t receive anything in the mail. Your purchase of this 8-bell arrangement will entitle you to print up to 4 copies for your handbell group. Please see our licensing agreement for full details.

If you haven’t bought music from Choraegus before, you might find our step-by-step guide helpful. We designed this to take you through the purchasing process and make it stress-free!

Any questions?

If you have any questions about buying or playing Choraegus handbell music, we recommend looking at our Frequently-Asked Questions. It’s possible that someone else has already asked the same question, and received an answer! If you don’t find the information you’re looking for, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help.

New Music for Handbells – Finlandia (Be Still, My Soul)

Finlandia is our latest arrangement for 8 handbells.

Some of the history of Finlandia

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius wrote Finlandia in 1889. It was originally the Finlandia Hymn; part of a symphonic poem. Sibelius then reworked it as a standalone piece, as part of his Masonic Ritual Music. The Finnish poet Veikko Antero Koskenniemi wrote words for it in 1941, and it became popular as a national song for Finland, although not the official national anthem.

In 1752, Katharina Amalia Dorothea von Schlegel had written a hymn in German: Stille meine Wille, dein Jesus hilft siegen. In 1855, Jane Laurie Borthwick translated it into English as Be Still, My Soul.

“Be still, my soul, the Lord is on thy side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change He, faithful, will remain.
Be still, my soul, thy best, thy heavenly friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.”

Another popular hymn sung to the Finlandia tune is We Rest on Thee, written in England by Edith G. Cherry in 1895. This Is My Song is another hymn that uses the same tune, with words written in 1934 by Lloyd Stone. It’s also the tune used for Gweddi dros Gymru (A Prayer for Wales), which is widely considered to be the second Welsh national anthem.

With thanks to Los Altos United Methodist Church for allowing us to rehearse and record this piece in their beautiful sanctuary.

Would you like to play Finlandia?

If you’d like to play this arrangement the music is available for purchase and download from Choraegus.

When you buy music from Choraegus, please remember that it will come to you as a digital file (PDF). You’ll be responsible for printing your own music, and you won’t receive anything in the mail. Your purchase of this 8-bell arrangement will entitle you to print up to 4 copies for your handbell group. Please see our licensing agreement for full details.

If you’re new to buying music from Choraegus, you might find our step-by-step guide helpful!

Any questions?

If you have any questions about buying or playing our music, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help!

An Organ Accompaniment to Come Christians, Join to Sing

On Easter Sunday we had the opportunity to be part of the celebrations at Los Altos United Methodist Church. We played a couple of our new hymn accompaniments (coming to our website soon!) as well as specially-arranged handbell parts for two choir anthems.

Organ accompaniment to Come Christians Join to Sing
Easter Sunday at Los Altos United Methodist Church

We also enjoyed collaborating with LAUMC’s talented Senior Organist, T. Paul Rosas. Paul recently wrote an organ accompaniment to Come Christians, Join to Sing. We played the 8-bell arrangement with organ and handbells at the three morning services on Easter Sunday. It was a lot of fun! Here’s a recording from one of the services:

Our thanks go to Los Altos United Methodist Church for making this recording available to us.

Would you like to play this piece?

If you’d like to play this piece, the music is available for purchase and download from our music site.

When you buy music from Choraegus, please remember that the music will come to you as a PDF file. You’ll be responsible for printing your own music, and you won’t receive anything in the mail. See our printing guides for more information about this!

If you’re new to buying Choraegus music, you might find it helpful to look at our step-by-step guide. We designed this guide to take you through the process in a (we hope!) stress-free way.

Any questions?

If you have any questions about buying or playing our music, you might like to look at the Frequently-Asked Questions. It’s possible that someone else has already asked the same question and received an answer! If you don’t find the information you’re looking for, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help.

New Music for Handbells – He Keeps Me Singing

Here’s our latest 8-bell arrangement; it’s the popular hymn He Keeps Me Singing.

We know this hymn as a lively and joyful melody. However, we recently read about the circumstances that led Luther Burgess Bridgers to write it – and they were far from happy. He was a pastor and evangelist who wrote the hymn after his wife and three sons had died in a house fire while he was away preaching.

“There’s within my heart a melody
Jesus whispers sweet and low,
Fear not, I am with thee, peace, be still,
In all of life’s ebb and flow.

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
Sweetest Name I know,
Fills my every longing,
Keeps me singing as I go.”

Our thanks to Los Altos United Methodist Church for allowing us to rehearse in their beautiful sanctuary. It’s the place where we had our wedding ceremony in September 2012.

Would you like to play this arrangement?

If you’d like to play this piece, the music is available for purchase and download from Choraegus.

When you buy music from Choraegus, it will come to you as a digital download; a PDF file. That means you’ll be responsible for printing your own music, and you won’t receive anything in the mail. Your purchase of this 8-bell arrangement will entitle you to print up to 4 copies for your group. Please see our licensing agreement for full details.

If you haven’t bought music from Choraegus before, we recommend our step-by-step guide! We designed this in an attempt to take you through the process in a stress-free way.

Any questions for us?

If you have any questions about buying or playing our music, you might like to check our Frequently-Asked Questions. If you don’t find the information you’re looking for, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help.

He Keeps Me Singing - handbells

New Music for Handbells – Sweet Hour of Prayer

“Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne
Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief,
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!”

Our latest 8-bell piece is this peaceful melody, written by William Bradbury in 1861. We recorded the video in the beautiful sanctuary of Los Altos United Methodist Church.

More information about this arrangement

If you’d like to play this piece, the music is available for purchase and download from Choraegus.

When you buy music from Choraegus, it will come to you as a digital download; a PDF file. That means you’ll be responsible for printing your own music, and you won’t receive anything in the mail. Your purchase of this 8-bell arrangement allows you to print up to 4 copies for your handbell group. Please see our licensing agreement for full details.

If you haven’t bought music from Choraegus before, we recommend our step-by-step guide. We designed this in an attempt to take the stress out of ordering music online.

Any questions?

If you have questions about buying or playing our handbell music, please check our Frequently-Asked Questions. You just might find your answer there! If you don’t find the information you’re looking for, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help.

Sweet Hour of Prayer - handbells

New 8-Bell Music for Handbells – Faith of our Fathers

Here’s our latest 8-bell piece; it’s the hymn Faith of our Fathers (ST CATHERINE). We recorded this video during a rehearsal at the AGO Silicon Valley January Jubilee event earlier this year.

Would you like to play Faith of Our Fathers?

If you’d like to play this arrangement, the sheet music is available for purchase and download from Choraegus.

When you purchase handbell music from Choraegus, the music score will come to you as a PDF file. That means you’ll be responsible for printing your own music, and you won’t receive anything in the mail. Your purchase of this 8-bell hymn arrangement allows you to print up to 4 copies for your handbell group. Please see our licensing agreement for full details, and don’t pay for more copies than you need to!

If you haven’t bought music from Choraegus before, you might find it helpful to read our step-by-step guide. We designed this to take you through the process and make it stress-free!

Any questions?

If you have any questions about buying or playing our handbell music, please take a look at our Frequently-Asked Questions, in case the answer is there! If you don’t find the information you need, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help.

New Music for Handbells – Praise to the Lord, the Almighty

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty is the latest addition to our 8-bell repertoire. The hymn tune is based on Joachim Neander’s German chorale Lobe den Herren, den mächtigen König der Ehren, published in 1680.

This is another video from our rehearsal during the American Guild of Organists’ January Jubilee event that took place at Los Altos United Methodist Church earlier this month.

Would you like to play this arrangement?

If you’d like to play Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the music is available for purchase and download from Choraegus. The arrangement is suitable for 2-4 ringers.

Choraegus handbell music will come to you as a digital download, in PDF file format. This means you’ll be responsible for printing your own music, and you won’t receive anything in the mail. Your payment entitles you to print up to 4 copies of the sheet music for your handbell group.

If you’re new to buying music from Choraegus, you might find our step-by-step guide helpful.

Any questions?

If you have any questions about buying or playing our music, you might find the Frequently-Asked Questions helpful. If you don’t find the answers you need, please contact us, and we’ll be happy to help.

Praise to the Lord the Almighty - handbells