This is the Day: Handbells
This is the Day Sheet Music Preview

This is the Day: Handbells

Arr. Joseph M. Martin

Item: 31-PS-0000003
Digital Download
$2.99
Description
Appropriate for the beginning of worship, or anytime within a service, this upbeat anthem will add energy to your congregation's worship experience. Based on Psalm 118:24, it also contains fresh, new words written by the composer.

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Additional Details
Series: Jubilate Music
SKU: 31-PS-0000003
Instrumentation: Handbells

More about this title

About the Composer: Joseph M. Martin

Joseph M. Martin

Joseph M. Martin studied piano performance at Furman University and earned his master's degree from the University of Texas at Austin, where he later taught in the Piano Pedagogy Department. A performing artist who has appeared as a soloist with orchestras across the United States and Mexico and won the Nina Plant Wideman Competition, Martin shifted his focus toward church music and conference work while maintaining an active concert schedule.

Martin's compositions and arrangements have been heard in venues ranging from Carnegie Hall to worship spaces across North America. He brings both classical training and deep familiarity with congregational music to his writing, creating work that serves both artistic and liturgical purposes. He resides in Austin, Texas with his family.

Why we love this

Martin writes handbells parts that feel integral to the anthem rather than decorative, and this piece captures that balance perfectly. The text draws directly from Scripture (Psalm 118:24) while the composer's original words give it immediacy and freshness that congregations respond to. As an opening hymn or midservice moment, it generates genuine lift without demanding virtuosity from your bell choir.

What to expect

Bright and celebratory, with the kind of forward-moving energy that suits Easter morning or any service focused on praise and affirmation. The handbells sparkle and punctuate the anthem's text, creating moments of genuine jubilation that feel fresh rather than sentimental.

Who it's for

This piece serves congregations with a bell choir program that wants to enhance worship without requiring advanced ringers. It works equally well in churches developing a bell program and those with experienced ensembles looking for straightforward, joyful sacred music that reinforces the message.

How to get the most out of it

  • Shape the melody with clear articulation in the bells; let the rhythmic vitality of the anthem speak through precise attacks and releases.
  • Balance the bell accompaniment so the choir's text remains the primary focus; handbells should support and energize rather than overpower.
  • Coordinate the choir's dynamic arc with the bell entries to create unified moments of emphasis and allow the Easter or springtime themes to land with full impact.

How to use it

Open a worship service with this piece to establish an upbeat, joyful tone, or position it early in the order of worship when energy and attention are highest. It fits naturally in spring services, Easter celebrations, or any Sunday centered on themes of renewal and thanksgiving. The moderate length and accessible scoring make it viable for services where you want strong bell presence without extending rehearsal demands.

Skills your students will build

  • Balancing ensemble parts (choir and handbells) at appropriate dynamic levels
  • Executing rhythmic precision across multiple instruments
  • Connecting text meaning to musical interpretation and phrasing

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