Their Music Varies, But It All Has a Familiar Ring

When the bells ring at La Pluma Elementary School in La Mirada, it’s not always because classes are changing. It could be the school’s handbell choir practicing in the multipurpose room, playing everything from a tricky Scott Joplin rag to “Cielito Lindo” complete with tambourines, small cymbals and maracas. The 18-student musical group is the only one of its kind in the 23-school Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District.

The youngsters play on a set of 37 shiny bells, each one representing a separate tone in a three-octave scale. The tones range from tiny tinkles to sonorous sounds, and each player handles one or two bells.

“The kids do amazingly well, considering what is required,” said choir director Kathleen Witowich. She said the biggest challenge is knowing when to come in on a melody, particularly if they’re playing more than one bell. After a month of instruction, the students are able to play simple tunes, she said. Mastering all of the bells takes a couple of years.

The youngsters, who range from fourth- to seventh-graders, say playing the bells is a hobby, and a music and history lesson at the same time. They’re taught to read music, and every piece of music comes with a lesson on the composer and his country. “We’ve learned songs from Germany, Ireland, from all over Europe and the southern (United) States, where they wrote and what they wrote about,” said 12-year-old Mike Hartley.

And as much as they like to kid around before practicing, the choir members have learned to become a unit when it comes to music. Said 13-year-old Natalie Yuktirat: “We have to work as a group, not everyone playing on their own. We make a commitment to a group.”

First organized in 1986, the bell choir has a repertoire of 20 pieces, many of them folk tunes. The youngsters play for school functions, and in recent weeks have been going on the road. They’ve played for senior citizen groups and the school board. Last week, they serenaded the La Mirada City Council.

Said 13-year-old Phillip Camacho: “The most fun is the trips we go on, performing for all the people and seeing the expressions on their faces.”