With this school year’s final bell about to ring, Mauna Loa School’s “Music Education with Handbells” program highlighted a busy concert season with a successful tour to Southern California for the annual American Guild of English Handbell Ringers “Young Ringers” conference. The 11-member music ensemble, grades 3-9, enjoyed the first out-of-state tour Mauna Loa has sponsored since its 1897 inception.

The youngsters utilize both handbells and handchimes in their repertoire, and not wanting to miss any opportunity to make music, they toted the easier-to-carry chimes and staged an informal concert in the walkways at the Honolulu International Airport, delighting travelers awaiting their flights.

A red-eye flight later, the children spent the entire day at the conference learning new ringing techniques, how to ring big 15-pound bass bells without falling over, and a Maori stick game. Participation at the “Young Ringers” conference afforded the young musicians the opportunity to unite their skills in harmony with several other handbell groups from California, Nevada and Washington. The conference closed with a final concert where the Mauna Loa Handbells performed “Angel’s Watch,” a musical showpiece written just for them.

The “Angel’s Watch” selection, well-accepted at the conference, has been an audience favorite at several Easter and sacred-service concerts on the Big Island. The first of the three-part piece depicted with traditional Hebraic melodies the young Christ. The somber harmonies in the middle section climaxed with the crucifixion. The third rhythmic section suggested a joyous resurrection, all while angels watched the scenes in awe. Selections from the Scriptures retelling the events were recited at the Easter weekend performances, heightening the impact of the music.

After the conference, the students were chauffeured to area homes, some overlooking Newport Harbor, where they happily caught up on shuteye. The last day of the tour began with a performance at the Costa Mesa Adventist Church, followed by an visit to the Newport Aquarium and dinner at the Olive Garden.

For the kids, the capstone of the evening was a trip to Disneyland. After six rides in three hours, all were itching to finish off the night at the Disneyland store, but, alas, it had closed. After pleading with the manager to let the music group from Hawaii in, he relented. All were delighted with the half-hour Mickey-Minnie-Simba shopping extravaganza. The surprise gifts of a memorable evening — and music to everyone’s ears — were the complimentary Disneyland entrance tickets.

The youngsters, ages 8 to 14, have achieved their goals for the school year, touring communities from Hilo to Kona, and Honokaa to Kohala, presenting Christmas and Easter programs, giving concerts for church services, nursing homes, and community activities, and last but most noteworthy, learning and enjoying music. The youthful musicians were excited to realize that they were music missionaries. Arrangements of hymns familiar to the listener often evoke memories that can lead to daily dedication, decisions to return to the Lord, and commitments that may never be known until eternity.

Kevin Cornwell, music education program director and conductor of the handbell choir, points out, “Learning music can be interesting, but it’s not really ‘fun’ until you share what you’ve learned through performance. All the students have discovered how intricate and complex music is. And, while performing, they’ve seen firsthand the emotional impact music has on the listener. This, I believe, was perhaps the most profound revelation to the students. To see tears well up in the eyes of audience members caught many of the students off-guard. They didn’t realize the power they held through music.

“Theirs is a unique musical ministry, unshared by their parents or other adults. They see vividly what they are doing for Christ and the determination and vigor shines in their eyes during rehearsals. It’s hard work, they’ve learned, but the rewards are equally great.

“And, while going to Disneyland may have been the pot-of-gold at the end of the tour for them, for me as the director of the program, when one student recently told me he’s going to quit soccer so he can commit all his time to the handbell choir, that’s music to my ears.”

The bell choir practices music suited to the three-octave handbells and chimes three times weekly in preparation for their concerts. The chimes were donated by Neil and Doris Jacobson from the Modesto, Calif., area, and are used by two different classes in the music education program.

The popular group is already booked full for concerts in the 2004-2005 school year. The 2006 season is also well underway with an invitation back to Southern California for the Young Ringers conference, this time as one of two special guest choirs. Somewhere in the mix is another big tour for which the students will need their passports.

For more information about the Mauna Loa School, ask for Principal Allen Lipps at 808-935-1545.