Chime In!
by Teresa Jennings
If you have handbells, Boomwhackers®, tone chimes, glockenspiels, or any bell-like instruments (including mallet or keyboard instruments), this is a terrific holiday song to use as a feature for them. Set as a light and bouncy 2-beat song, it's reminiscent of an old show tune. On the recording, the background foundation comes from pizzicato strings. It's very sweet.
The vocal part is all unison and easy so that the attention can stay on the instruments. Be sure to set up your stage in such a way as to make the instrumentalists the stars - definitely up front for all to see and hear. To make it easier for your players to read their parts, we have created a separate Bells/Boomwhackers® part which you will find on page 19 of this issue. The divided notes are optional, and you can even adapt the parts to make them simpler or more complex as you wish.
At the end of the song on the recording, you will hear what we call "Bells/Boomwhackers® applause." You can do this or not using some or all of the instruments you feature. We have found that students enjoy it after having to be so serious during the performance of the piece. It's a nice release. If you use it, teach them to begin and either fade (decrescendo) or cut off on your cue.
Text is taken from Music K-8 magazine.