SALT LAKE CITY — It's not a sexist thing when handbell choir director Tom Waldron says he needs more men in the worst way.The choir — which is actually part of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir organization — needs men to heft and play the bigger bells.Right now, the handbell choir is holding try-outs and they've had no men audition.__IMAGE1__ \"I feel like Bronco Mendenhall watching players go on a mission,\" Waldron said. \"All of our women are expecting children and our male students are graduating and accepting jobs out-of-state.\"That leaves a number of slots in the handbell choir empty. (A full contingent of bell ringers is 28 with three men and three women substitutes standing by.)Bell ringers need to be between 20 and 45 years old, be active members of the LDS Church and live within 100 miles of Salt Lake City. They need to have some musical background and be prepared to donate time to regular weekly rehearsals and additional performance demands, especially during the holiday and concert season.Those who select new bell ringers take about 10 weeks to check out the potential of those who want to be in the choir.\"It's fun. It's addictive but it's not exactly as easy as it appears,\" said LeAnna Willmore, one of the choir's technical directors, looking over the 15 women ringing bells Saturday, Jan. 16.It takes some time to train a new bell ringer. It also takes some natural ability. \"Every first ringer thinks you punch when actually you're making a circle and learning how to pull the trigger,\" she said.Karrie Middaugh, who works at the LDS Church offices arranging group travel, said she found a bell ringer needs to be more coordinated than she expected.__IMAGE2__Natasha Humphrey rang bells in high school and college, so she felt she knew what to expect.\"It's more fast-paced than I thought it would be,\" she said. \"It's like playing piano music for 20 fingers.\"Candice Rail, a young mother, is hoping to win a spot in the choir and add something missionary-related to her life. \"I love music and would love to be part of a missionary group like this which is such a visible group.\"Rail said she was impressed with the caliber of musicians who showed up for the try-outs. The music was also more technically challenging than she expected. \"I play piano, flute and drums so I'm OK with it,\" she said.Waldron says those who try out are often surprised to find bell ringing so challenging both physically and musically.\"It can be overwhelming,\" he said.Bell ringers stand in rehearsal and in concert and the bell ringing requires a flip of the wrist that can be tough to do in repetition.Men have the upper arm strength to handle the larger bells repeatedly, Willmore said. They also have bigger hands so they can hold two big bells more easily.There are techniques for each size bell, she said.In addition, Willmore said it's important that a bell ringer be impressive on camera and on stage.\"We're looking for presence,\" Willmore said.Auditions continue for the next several weeks in the Tabernacle between 9-11 a.m.To get more information on the try-outs, visit mormontabernaclechoir.org or call 801-240-3221.
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