About Us
belle best with music1.mp4Meet Belle, our newest member. She's a gnome, and she's joined Bells on the Bay to keep a watchful eye on everything and to guard our treasures. Notice that she dresses in the blue of Keweenaw Bay and Lake Superior waters and is holding handbells of her very own. Belle is a real cutie despite that nose and we're thrilled that she's a part of our musical family. Thank you to her creator and inspiration downstate!
If you click on the arrow, she'll ring her bells for you.
Our Conductor, Sally Klaasen
Sally Klaasen is a native of the Midwest, having grown up in Michigan in a family in which everyone played an instrument of some kind. Her introduction to the world of music began with piano lessons as a kid. Band and vocal choirs began in middle school and have continued to various degrees since, including her time at Michigan Technological University while pursuing an engineering education.
Sally’s introduction to handbells began in her church in high school but then took a twenty year or so hiatus. Living in Vermont in the mid 90’s, she was asked to substitute in a church bell choir, which led to regular ringing and then to directing. In addition to directing the church’s choirs, she formed a successful community bell choir, Northern Bronze.
Upon moving to the Upper Peninsula in late 2007, she found a serious lack of handbell ringing, but as it turns out, there wasn’t a lack of experienced ringers around…they simply weren’t obvious because there were so few bell choirs. She formed Bells on the Bay in 2008, and the group has continued to grow in skills and experience while exploring a variety of music and ringing techniques.
Sally has been fortunate to ring, sing, and accompany under a number of talented conductors, while also attending workshops to further her musical skills along with those of her choir members.
History
Bells on the Bay Community Handbell Choir formed in June, 2008, under the direction of Sally Klaasen.
Initially, the group began making music with two octaves of idle Schulmerich handbells borrowed from Sacred Heart School in L’Anse. Growing mainly by word of mouth, it wasn’t long before a third octave was needed for the group; that equipment was borrowed from the unused bells at Grace United Methodist Church in Houghton. The untimely loss of an enthusiastic charter member of Bells on the Bay led to a very generous memorial donation from her family. This donation in turn allowed the purchase of Sacred Heart’s bells, the purchase of a new third octave (and the subsequent return of Grace UMC’s bells), and the purchase of three octaves of Malmark handchimes. After a recent fund-raising effort, we now own a total of 3 ½ octaves of bells and 3 octaves of chimes.
Also in 2008, a group of the more experienced ringers formed a smaller group called The Ensemble. This group focuses on varied bell assignments, multi-bell techniques, and a wide variety of more challenging music.
Bells on the Bay is an enthusiastic participant in community music. We regularly join in the worship services of several church denominations and in numerous community events such as Advent Songfest, the L’Anse Waterfront Concert series, Variety of Music Show, and performances at hospice celebrations, open houses, and elderly housing. We also join with bell choirs from the UP and Midwest in workshops and festivals.
We love what we do, we work hard at it, we grow, and we have fun in the whole process.