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Handbells

 Ringing handbells is more than making music. It is a group of individuals coming together to learn and share their experiences, their feelings, their skills, and their lives as they work toward providing a moment of joy and wonder in the lives of others. While that final shared performance moment is an important moment to the both the ringers and the listeners, it is the many, many hours of preparation that provide the most important moments to the ringers - physically, musically, mentally, and emotionally.
Blanche Marie Lewis began performing with handbell ensembles during her college years as the featured flute soloist. After graduating and starting a family, she began ringing with the Chancel Bells at First United Methodist Church of Winter Park in 1990 and she's been ringing bells ever since! Blanche Marie has rung in large and small ensembles, church and community ensembles, and as a soloist. She is a Certified Handbell Director with the American Guild of English Handbell Ringing (AGEHR) and enjoys leading workshops and arranging music for bells and other instruments when not ringing or directing her own groups.
Mark Lewis became a handbell ringer in his elementary church children's ensemble. He rang throughout middle school and high school and rang with his church's adult handbell ensembles and an auditioned community choir, Magic of Bronze, while at home during his college years. Mark continues to ring with the Celebration Ringers at First United Methodist Church, Winter Park. He and Blanche Marie have performed many handbell duets around the central Florida area over the last several years. Many of these duets can be found on youtube! Mark also enjoys arranging for handbells and voice, as well as, clarinets, mixed ensembles, and full orchestras.

Are you interested in improving your ringing technique? For more information regarding private instruction, go to Music Lessons.
Published Pieces - In addition to the handbell compositions and arrangements available on this website, Blanche Marie and Mark are published with Sheet Music Plus, Sonology Music and From the Top Music.
​For information on handbell workshops led by Blanche Marie, click here. To contact Blanche Marie about leading a workshop with your handbell ensemble, click here.

​Are your handbells in need of polishing, refurbishment or repair? Blanche Marie is available to take care of your needs. For more information on services offered, click here.

Blanche Marie is the Handbell Director at Ascension Lutheran Church in Casselberry, FL, leading the ringers in providing service music on a monthly basis as well as offering outreach opportunities for the group. She served as the Music Director of the Magic of Bronze (a community-based auditioned ensemble) from January 2003 through May 2015.

belle bon mot

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Introduction:  bon mot – a clever saying; a witticism.  From the French language:  belle – beautiful, bon – good, mot – word.
belle bon mot was written by Blanche Marie Lewis. It is a collection of ‘good word(s)’ or important moments of life lessons that have been learned while standing in front of, or behind, the handbell rehearsal table.
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