A rare musical experience awaits Negrenses who want to help raise funds for the Negros Museum. Local music lovers will be treated to another form of music in 'Saved by the Bell', a concert featuring the Central Philippine University Handbell Choir, the only five-octave handbell group of its kind in the country.

The presentation will be held  at the Ballroom of Sugarland Hotel on Friday at 7 p.m.

The July 2 show is one of the series of activities launched by the museum ,  located at Gatuslao Street, which has been reported as facing financial threats that threaten its daily operations. No less than art patron and renowned singer and composer Jose Mari Chan, chairman of the Negros Cultural Foundation, Inc., which runs the museum,  is at the forefront of the fundraising series along with foundation president Lym Gamboa.

Chan describes the museum as a place "which houses the soul of our people.” We absolutely need to preserve and develop our unique culture, our arts, painting and music, our history and to pass them on to future generations. Our grandchildren and descendants will have nothing to inherit if we allow our national 'soul' to disintegrate, he said at the launch of the fundraising activities in April.

The CPU Handbell Choir was originally formed in the early 1970s  but faded  about decade later due to manpower and instrument difficulties  but started ringing again in 2006 following the repair of the instruments and a university official, Dr. Mai Lynn Bermejo-Jacar, a dentist took charge as director and directress  of the group, a position she continues to  hold.

The CPU Ringers, as the group is called, is composed of 12 members, both students and alumni of the university. Hermely Agriam Jalandoon, choir adviser, who is married to Pastor Francis Neil Jalandoon of La Carlota City, said the group members are Hermy Agriam, Dexter Martin, Jec Dan Borlado, Ghena Portia Pamillo, Bryan Espinosa, Ma. Flora Flores, Shenna Marie Gamayao, Trisha Andrea Bergante, Katherine Lamasan, Fe Seta Encontro and Engineers March Halcom Rey Bieren and Johanna Ala.

The choir, administered by  CPU Cultural Affairs Office headed by Dr. Anita Illenberger, has performed in many parts of Western Visayas and has been a main annual Christmas feature presentation at SM City since 2007.

In the Bacolod performance, the group will play for at least one hour well-loved Filipino music, movie themes, Gospel and hymn favorites, classics and university song compositions.

Jalandoon said the choir members want to share the love of God through the harmonious playing of the handbells to touch the soul and spirit of listeners and bring ultimate glory to God, the ultimate musician. She added that, at the same time, the choir hopes to inspire individuals and the community to glorify God through its rare and celestial brand of music.

That's why the Handbell Choir finds its home at CPU in the university church, where the members perform as part of the worship service.

Apparently,  said Tanya Lopez, museum director, the choir finds an  appropriate partner in  the museum - the former with a mission to touch the soul and spirit of its listeners, the latter, serving as the 'soul' of Negrenses which must be passed on the generations to come, adding that the title of the concert, "Saved by the Bell"  serves as a fitting tribute to the mission of the CPU performing arts group.

Those interested to watch the CPU Handbell Choir in its Bacolod performance on July 2 may contact  the Negros Museum, Tel. No. 433-4764 for details.

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