The Bell Choir consists of a very talented group of students who have a love and appreciation for music. Bell Choir is a class where students learn techniques to play bells, and prepare for many performances throughout the year.

“Bell Choir is a class in school where we play the bells. It’s like a normal choir class. There are, of course, not as many kids but we have the opportunity to play the bells and learn how to play them,” bell choir student Sierra Fox said.

To be in the Bell Choir, students must have musical experience. Choir teacher Marci May recommends that students are able to read music and have basic musical skills that will allow them to move through musical material quickly.

“They have to have good rhythm, they have to have good hand-eye coordination, that’s pretty much what we’re looking for,” May said. “It’s not an audition process but an interview process. Students come and talk to me and I ask them some questions about their musical skills and if they are able to read, I might have them clap some rhythm exercises, those kind of things.”

Throughout the year, the Bell Choir participates in many performances. Not only do they play in many of the arts department performances, but they have their own events that require a lot of preparation.

“The Bell Choir participates in all of the regular choir concerts, they participate in Lover’s Feast, they also do their own concert in the spring called Spring Ring, and it’s a mast ring so all of the Bell Choirs throughout the state get together and we learn the same music and we have an entire gymnasium full of Bell Choirs,” May said.

Like students who are involved in other classes, students who are in Bell Choir commit to having good attendance and a positive attitude when they come to class. There are many performances throughout the year, so students have to be able to get through the material quickly.

“Everyday in class, we practice the songs and Ms. May chooses songs that both she likes and what she thinks we’ll like, and what she thinks the audience will recognize and we practice those every day, in order to be performance ready,” Fox said.

Bell Choir requires a lot of hard work and dedication, but it is very rewarding to the students who participate in each performance. Students in Bell Choir learn to have a deeper understanding of not only how to play the bells, but the many ways to use the bells to create different moods and emotions.