ONEONTA _ A dozen teens in the Klipnocky Klangers rang bells with groups large and small at a recent handbell festival in Florida.
The result was not only a fun trip, several participants said, but a phenomenal and exciting music-making experience.
The Klipnocky Klangers is a handbell choir at the First United Methodist Church in Oneonta for seventh- through 12th-graders. The group performs at church, in community concerts and at area festivals.
Last year, while participating at a festival at the State University College at Oswego, the Klangers were invited to attend the International Handbell Symposium in Orlando, Fla., from Aug. 6-8, said John Jurgensen, Klanger director.
The Klangers group was like a big family that had a lot of fun on a summer trip, said Sophia Konstantine, 13, of Oneonta. The students heard other bell choirs perform and learned different styles of playing at the conference, she said.
``Bells are my favorite thing I do musically,'' said Sophia, who will be an eighth-grader and sings in the Oneonta Middle School choir.
The Klangers raised $10,000 to add to $6,000 in seed funding to pay for airfare, lodging and other costs, Jurgensen said. The students rehearsed from autumn until spring to prepare for their bell roles, he said.
Jurgensen, director of music ministries at the First United Methodist Church, said the symposium is held every two years in a different country, making the experience this year a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the Klangers. The symposium was at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort and Convention Center in Orlando. Jurgensen said the group, which included seven adult chaperones, stayed after the conference for sightseeing and to go to Universal Studios.
The original three-octave set of bells was made possible from a donation in 1973, and other gifts have added to the bell choir's range, said the Klipnocky Klangers website, http://ago-oneonta.tripod.com/klangers/klangersindex.htm.
The choir and other musical groups at the First United Methodist Church are open to anyone in the community regardless of religious affiliation, the site said.
Jurgensen was a member of the Klangers from 1975 to '77, when he was a music education student at Hartwick College. The group has had a tradition of being well-prepared for performances, he said.
Esteban Cruz, 13, of Oneonta, said he joined Klipnocky Klangers last fall. The result, he said, was learning to read music and enjoying ringing the bells in different groups.
``Bells are just fantastic,'' Esteban said. ``It sounds better than birds in the morning.''
Besides the challenges of learning and performing music, Esteban said, joining the Klangers meant a trip that gave him his first airline flight and a chance to visit with relatives he hadn't seen in about five years.
``It was unbelievable,'' Esteban said. ``I would recommend it to anybody.''
Luis Cruz, of Oneonta, said Esteban has learned the joy of playing music and still is excited about his experiences in Florida.
``He was really amazed,'' Cruz said.
Esteban is the fourth of his sons to participate in the church's youth activities, said Cruz, whose family is Roman Catholic. Cruz said the programs have helped them focus on life goals and learn to respect people.
``I am very grateful to the church,'' Cruz said. ``I don't have big enough words.''
