“Jingle Bells.” “Silver Bells.” “Carol of the Bells.” “I Heard the Bells….”

Hmm — are you noticing a pattern here?

Yes, along with angels, shepherds, stars and kings, bells seems to be a favored motif in holiday music.

And if you want to hear what Edgar Allan Poe so fetchingly called “the tintinnabulation that so musically wells” — well, the Repasz Band’s annual holiday concert is the place to be on Dec. 9.

Not only does the program focus on bell-related songs, but also, for two tunes the band will be joined onstage by the handbell choir from Covenant Central Presbyterian Church in Williamsport.

Slated for 7:30 p.m. at the city’s Community Arts Center, the concert is — as always with Repasz — free and open to the public.

“Bells are a festive symbol of Christmas joy and a central part of its decorations and music,” says Repasz conductor Jeff Dent. “Bells call us to gather, to worship, to celebrate and especially to the Christmas holidays.

“During the Victorian era, it became a popular tradition to go caroling with small handbells or to play tunes on bells alone,” Dent adds.

“Today, bells continue to be an important part of Christmas services and are used in ceremonial and festive singing to spread messages of peace and goodwill.”

With this in mind, Repasz will perform several varying renditions of the popular Ukrainian bell carol — otherwise known as “Carol of the Bells.” This includes a lively arrangement of the beloved Mannheim Steamroller version, as well as a vigorous Julie Giroux mash-up called “What Child Is That Playing Carol of the Bells?”

Giroux’s similarly energetic “Hark Those Jingle Bells Are Smokin’” is also on the program — along with Percy Faith’s 1950 samba “Brazilian Sleighbells.”

Other selections include a medley with “I Saw Three Ships” and “Ding! Dong! Merrily on High”; another with “Westminster Chimes” and “The Merry Bells All Ring”; a spoken-word reading (accompanied by the band) from Longfellow’s “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”; “Jingle Bell Rock” and two different versions of “Jingle Bells”; plus the German-flavored “Froehliche Weihnachten,” loaded with tinkling, ringing and bonging bells from the percussion section.

As always, the program will include “The Star-Spangled Banner,” finishing off with the world-famous “Repasz Band March.”

While Dent will conduct those pieces and several others, he will also pass the baton to Assistant Conductor Jessica Lewis and Associate Conductor Theo Lentz for several of the songs.

The Dec. 9 concert is sponsored by Journey Bank and the Williamsport Sun-Gazette (at the “quartet” level); UMPC and “a friend” (“duet”); and, at the highest level, Lycoming Engines. Fittingly, this concert also features “Lycoming Motor March,” a tune that Williamsport native and Repasz trumpeter John Hazel wrote in honor of this very company over 100 years ago.

Founded in 1831, Repasz is currently heading for its 200th anniversary. A robust summer 2026 program is in the works, preceded by the ensemble’s annual spring concert — this year slated for April 7 at the CAC.

More information is available at repaszband.org.