This morning we got to go to the YMCA in West Jerusalem and play the carillon bells! We had an awesome group which completely added to the experience.
At the top of the tower behind us is where the bells are!
Michael was my partner and we played some Scottish tune that's also the tune of Praise to the Man and then we got real adventurous and did Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, one of my favorite songs! So there's a practice one and we didn't need too much practice but it's kind of terrifying because you're literally playing for all of Jerusalem to hear.
We also got to do the chimes on the hour. So Sister Jones played the little tune and then we got to do the "dongs" on every 3rd beat. We did it for 11 o'clock and noon. It kind of looks like an organ. There's two staffs? and pedals as well.
They have lots of sheet music and you just pick what you want to do! You have to play kind of slow so all the notes can be heard and the lower notes you have to pull down harder because they're heavier. I was just in heaven!
And then when you weren't playing you could go up another flight of stairs and watch the bells and look out over the city. Definitely a highlight of the trip!
After we were done playing we found this little room and sang a couple hymns in it.
We had 9 people and we all re-created a YMCA poster we saw by making the letters with our bodies. It was hilarious! And we got a few stares from passersby as well ha!
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