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The Ring Leaders

Tribune photo by JAMIE PILARCZYK

Hunter Harvey, left, and Calum Johnson wait for their cue from music director Mercy Bennie during a recent practice of the Tampa Day School Chime Choir.

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By JAMIE PILARCZYK

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 6, 2008

TAMPA - Before the school year starts, the students in Tampa Day School's summer program are studying hard, brushing up on reading and math skills with a bit of music.

Trickling into the room from their last class, the Chime Choir prepared to practice recently at the private school for students with learning disabilities. The youngsters had questions, comments and chatter to deliver to their audience, music director Mercy Bennie.

As soon as Bennie called them to order and they grabbed the ruler-sized chimes, they grew silent and focused on the sheet music. A moment later, "Jingle Bells" filled the room.

A little Christmas in July, courtesy of the fifth- and sixth-graders.

The students are practicing for a 15-minute concert, including an accompaniment for composer Barbara Brocker, as part of the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers' 13th International Handbell Symposium and National Seminar.

At the guild's invitation, 11 Tampa Day School students will head to Orlando to perform Saturday before about 1,500 ringers.

"I want to do this so my parents will be proud of me," said Emily Hirsch, 10, of Westchase.

Hunter Harvey, 11, of Carrollwood, is shooting in a different direction. "I just want my friends to be jealous."

Bennie said playing the chimes and participating in the symposium builds students' self-esteem and encourages teamwork and social interaction.

"There's a lot more to it than I ever dreamed," she said. The chimes came to Tampa Day School, 12606 Henderson Road, by way of parent and music therapist Lynne Marks. A guild member, she applied for a grant through the organization and received a three-octave set of chimes for the school in 2006. Marks has been mentoring Bennie, helping get the program up and running.

"I knew they had an endowment fund to apply for grants, and I knew it would benefit my son and the other children at Tampa Day School," said Marks, of New Tampa. "It complements what other instruments do. They are all a part of a group, but it takes every single one of them ringing individually to produce a melody."

Marks said children with learning disabilities tend to have difficulty expressing themselves verbally. Music helps them with that, as well as complementing their academic studies.

"It doesn't take a lot of talent to do it, but it's a lot of fun working as a team," said Calum Johnson, 12, of Waterchase. "You have to learn to focus on your music."

Bennie said the concert will be a way for the school to thank the guild for the chimes.

"The kids are playing for the people who donated," she said. "That's the beauty of it all."

Reporter Jamie Pilarczyk can be reached at (813) 259-7661 or

Keyword: Chimes, for an audio slide show of the Tampa Day School Chime Choir. jpilarczyk@tampatrib.com. Keyword: Chimes, for an audio slide show of the Tampa Day School Chime Choir.

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