Heaven's Bells!

Call me Moroni. One of my goals after I leave this earthly existence has been to be chosen to play a herald trumpet in an angel herald trumpet band. Yes, I'm serious - why should I restrict myself to earthly goals? I used to hang out with a lot of trumpet players in high school and college, and one of my trumpet playing pals, T.C., got the chance when he was younger to play one of 120 herald trumpets in a huge marching band for some kind of celebration in Washington D.C. I think it was for the anniversary of the Statue of Liberty or something? Anyway, I think that's what put the idea in my head - that combined with that pictures of Christ returning to earth with legions of angels around him that you see inside just about every LDS meetinghouse. Ever since then I've thought that if there are jobs in heaven, that's the job I would be applying for - bass trumpet herald.

Over the last few years I haven't done much with my musical talents. It's been tough to find time for it, with my career, and my family, and church responsibilities. However, recently I decided it was time to get involved with music again, mainly to get some more balance back into my life. I've got a couple of trumpter friends from Lagoon Band and UofU band days, Al and Kevin, who play with the Orchestra on Temple Square here in Salt Lake City. I was contemplating what it would take to get my trombone chops back into shape enough to audition for this group. I was looking at the website and there didn't seem to be any openings at the time for trombone players. I've often thought as well that eventually I'd like to audition for the choir, but it seems the Tabernacle Choir isn't having auditions this year at all. But something else caught my eye - I noticed on the same web site that the "Bells On Temple Square" was having auditions for male ringers. So I decided to audition. Not that I have much experience playing handbells, but the 4 or 5 times I've rung bells with choirs, I've really enjoyed it, and through these limited experiences, I learned a couple of things. The main thing being that the most important criteria for success in ringing bells is the ability to read music and physically play the bells in rhythm - neither of which is as easy as it looks or sounds! Well to make a long story short - my two-week-long audition has turned into a for-the-remainder-of-2008 audition! Brother Waldron, the conductor, seems to think I have enough potential to keep me coming back each week and learning, at least through Christmas, when he will decide if I am good enough to become a permanent member or not. After my first week I told my wife that if I made the group, it would be on potential, not on current ability, because I certainly didn't have enough current ability, so after tonight's rehearsal (audition week 2 of 2), when Brother Waldron said I showed a lot of potential, it was music to my ears! Ringing bells is a blast - I wish I could do it every day - or even practice at home - but you can't exactly take the bells home with you to practice, so I'll have to just mentally practice. I don't know yet if I'll be allowed to play with the group for the Christmas concert - I don't think Bro Waldron was ready to commit to that just yet - and I'm not even sure there's an actual opening - maybe just an opening for a substitute.

Call me Quasimodo. Even though I've played for just two weeks, the bells are already one of my favorite musical instruments. Maybe heaven will have a bell choir too? Maybe they'll let me play heavenly handbells AND heavenly herald trumpets? Oh, wait - first I have to manage to get to heaven somehow...minor detail. I guess I'd better get to work on that! I don't think being a Hell's Angel or playing Hell's Bells would be nearly as fun...