Spring Ring~Isle Bells Spring Concert

Yesterday was the spring performance of Isle Bells, the community handbell choir which Ella founded and conducts. It was beautiful. Ella and I were part of a handbell choir 20 years ago in Kodiak and several (5)  of the old members from the high school choir play in Isle Bells.

Yesterday the group played a piece from Phantom of the Opera which was a tune the bell choir played in  high school and it brought major tears to my eyes. As I listened to it, I was taken back to our trip to St. Petersburg and Moscow, Russia. 13 of us teenagers went to Russia to do performances in several towns. And visit places, take the train, subway, stay with locals. We had to learn some Russian and all about Russian culture.

Listening to the music yesterday,  I was struck by how strong the emotions flooded me--the years of all of us girls together on the bell choir and how the tunes struck such strong chords in my soul. "Think of Me", "Phantom"....
I was crying so hard during the Phantom Medly, I had short gasps/sobs and had to avoid eye contact with the choir, as to not cry harder.  The emotion of it took me by surprise. I went thinking I'd be "stronger than that"...to be able to listen to songs we played so long ago and not be that affected by them.

It just goes to show how incredibly powerful music can be.

Isle Bells--thank you for bringing such beautiful music to Kodiak!! What a group of talented musicians.