YOUNG BELL RINGERS FROM ITALY

Fourteen young bell ringers, aged between 10 and 21 years of age, from the Scuola Campanaria di Roncobello (Roncobello Bell Ringing School), Italy, along with their parents and friends, made the trip from just north of Milan to perform a concert at the Iglesia Nuestra Señora del Pilar in Pilar de Horadada on Thursday evening.

They played instruments called ‘campanines' which look and are played like a xylophone but have special metal tubes or glass plates to reproduce the sound of ‘carillons' which are church bells that are operated from a keyboard and are found in many European countries. The tunes played date back to the early 19th century. In the second half of the concert we were treated to music sung by the parents and friends who had accompanied them on this trip. Their performance was enjoyed by all present.

The whole visit was organised through a small chamber choir called ‘Chorale' who are hoping to make a return visit to Roncobello next summer to perform a concert there.

(Ian Sharpe)