Taiwanese Christians promote use of handbells and handchimes in church music

["Taiwan Church News" <enews@pctpress.org>]

3082 Edition

March 21-27, 2011

Church Ministry News



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.

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