PHOENIX, AZ.- Few composers transition seamlessly between different instrumentations while maintaining a cohesive artistic voice, but when Yiqi Guo's handbell composition premiered at ‘Bells Beyond: New Music for Handbells,' audiences witnessed exactly that. Where Lights Dwell, which was featured in Bells Beyond, was as layered and ingenious as his previous compositions, while being thoughtfully adapted to a new medium. Guo structured his composition in layered textures that highlight the contrasting timbres of different handbell and choir chime sizes, allowing each register to contribute a distinct sonic color to the overall tapestry. While not strictly confining himself to a single meter, Guo moved between meters in a subtle way that enhanced the melodiousness of the piece. The end result was a mesmerizing handbell composition which immersed the audience in a reverberant soundscape.

Bells Beyond, a new professional handbell ensemble, premiered ten works at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Chandler, Arizona, last October. The pieces were selected from over fifty submissions through a competitive call curated by Charles Zoll and Bill Clay. That Guo's work stood out among this international field demonstrates his command of the medium. Each of the ten selected pieces presents a distinct artistic aspect of contemporary handbell writing. In their totality, the pieces exhibit the range of tempo, texture, and dynamics handbells are capable of covering.

Guo masterfully curates sound experiences. In Where Lights Dwell, “I explored spatial sound, allowing the audience to perceive distinct sonic layers from foreground to background,” he says. He did so while cleverly maintaining the musical cohesion of the piece, which shaped the work’s expressive contour and sense of dynamic flow

Beyond these spatial innovations, Guo did not stop at the usual foundational handbell gestures like ringing and echoing; he used advanced and combined techniques to enhance the sonic expressiveness of his composition. Guo embraced the challenge of these advanced techniques, working closely and frequently with the music director throughout the rehearsal process. “Working with the ensemble during the rehearsal and workshop process was essential in refining these ideas, ensuring that they were both idiomatic for the instruments and musically effective,” Guo recounts.

Yiqi Guo keeps surpassing his own limits, moving freely between musical genres and writing for vastly different ensembles with the same musical originality. At twenty-five, Guo has already proven his versatility across orchestral and handbell composition. If Where Lights Dwell signals what lies ahead, the musical world should pay attention.