Page 6 - MidWeek Windward - June 22, 2022

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JUNE 22, 2022
“I
that this is what ex-
BY MARYANNE LONG
Chimes Ring At St. Christopher’s Church In Kailua
was a music major in college and love
some of them would run off He explains, “I have really and go hide in the office or enjoyed serving our church on the playground. That’s through music. It has allowed why the name Chimeleons me to explore and maintain seemed to be appropriate for
cites and draws in people to our church,” exclaims the Rev. Giovan King, rector of St. Christopher’s Church in Kailua.
them,” Young explains.
Now there is a dedicated group of nine children, rang- inginagefrom7to13,who regularly participate in the Chimeleons. In addition to chimes and bells, they also play the organ and other in- struments, and even write
a lifelong interest and, in re- turning to trombone, allowed me to share that interest with our younger members,” he explains.
MaryAnne Long is an art- ist, art instructor, art collec- tor and curator. Reach her at malong@hawaii.rr.com or longlostart.weebly.com.
My LONG on ART ... columns are normally about visual artists, but my dear friend Lisa DeLong, a Kailua resident, related a story about the positive impact music is having in the lives of mem- bers of this church. Music has become such an inte- gral part of church activities that participants with little or no background on some instruments, including the or- gan, are now composing their own music.
Ina Young is music director at
St. Christopher’s Church. PHOTO COURTESY HADLEY GUSTAFSON
their own music.
It is obvious from the laser
For more information, call 808-262-8176 or visit the St. Christopher’s Church web- site at stchristopherkailua. org.
ementary school-aged chime ensemble) and the Martella- tos (multigenerational bell ensemble), as well as teach- ing private piano and organ students.
focus that 8-year-old Aidan Relk has on his music sheet that he takes playing the chimes and bells very seri- ously. He is only two years into the program and has al- ready written his first musical piece for 20 bells, “for more drama,” he says.
The Chimeleons, directed by Ina Young, include Charles Mueller, Ina Young, Julia Brown,JosephineBrown,ElizabethBrown,andAlexandAidanRelk.
PHOTO COURTESY JOE RELK
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Much of the recent interest resulted when schools were closed during COVID. What activities could the church provide to make productive use of children’s time away from school? The church’s music director, Ina Young, set out to find a way.
For the young people in the church, the most enticing activity has become the ring- ing of chimes and bells. They even have T-shirts with name and logo — the Chimeleons.
It is titled Megalodon and was inspired by a song his older brother Alex wrote.
Young, a native of Ros- tock, Germany, began play- ing the organ in her early teens and obtained her degree in church music from Ernst- Moritz-Arndt University in Greifswald. Since moving to Hawai‘i, Young has served in some music-related capac- ity in a number of different churches before coming to St. Christopher’s in 2020 as music director. In addition to being the organist and choir director, Young is also building a handbell/chime music program for everyone. She is teaching the Ostinatos (preschool-aged chime en- semble), the Chimeleons (el-
“In the early days of set- ting up the music groups, I spent a lot of time trying to find the youngsters because
One of many parents in- volved in supporting the church’s music program is Eric Mueller.
Alex and Aidan Relk are members of The Chimeleons. They have each already started writing their own music. PHOTO COURTESY BILL YOUNG