[3082] Taiwanese Christians promote use of handbells and handchimes in church music

Taiwanese Christians promote use of handbells and handchimes in church music

Reported by Chen Wei-chien

Written by Lydia Ma

Taiwan Christian Church Music Ministry Association (TCCMMA) recently held a seminar on handbells and handchimes to encourage churches to find new ways to present church music. The association also invited renown international musicians and professors to host this seminar, which included group discussions and culminated in a joint concert.

Seminars were held in Taipei on March 12-13, 2011, at Shuanglien Presbyterian Church and in Taichung on March 18-19, 2011, at Liuyuan Presbyterian Church. The number of registrants at the seminars totaled over 100 people.

The seminars featured International Handbell Committee Executive Director Miss Deborah Rice, Rev. Cho Tien-shun – the man who first introduced handbells and chimebells to Taiwan nearly 30 years ago – and Taiwan’s first handbells soloist Cheng Li-chun, as main speakers who led group discussions.

TCCMMA Secretary-General Chen Shu-fen said it was the first time the association was conducting a handbells and handchimes seminar. She added that there are probably fewer than 10 churches in Taiwan with handbells or handchimes choirs and hoped the event would spur churches to try these instruments.

“The curriculum Miss Rice used for this seminar was custom-made. She especially highlighted how these two instruments could be used in a church setting, especially during worship services and special celebrations,” Chen said.

“Both handbells and handchimes are instruments that require a lot of coordination among players. But they are much easier to learn than singing in the choir,” said Chen. She added that TCCMMA hoped to continue promoting both instruments at various churches and invite renown professionals to host seminars.