The Klingende Hände sign language choir was founded in 2013 as a musical-ecumenical project under the title »Let me feel what you hear!«. The initiative came from the pastoral care for the hearing impaired in the Euskirchen district deanery. The choir gave itself the title »Klingende Hände« (»Ringing Hands«) in 2016 and was initially led by music therapist Anita Wagener. Eva Lebertz took over the position in 2019 and Ursel Keienburg has been the musical director since 2023. Initially, the sign language choir was financed through project funding from Aktion Mensch. In the following years, foundation funds (e.g. from the Bürgerstiftung der Kreissparkasse Köln) and donations helped to support the choir.

Around 25 singers – including 8 deaf choir members – meet every 14 days for rehearsals in the Protestant parish of Euskirchen. The work is supported by sign language interpreter Claudia Dubbelfeld. One year after its foundation, the sign language choir gave its first performance at the inclusive summer festival organised by the pastoral care for the hearing impaired on the stage of the State Garden Show in Zülpich. Many other performances at church services and festivals in the region followed, such as the Kreissparkassenstiftung festival, the Klosterlichter Euskirchen festival and the Ecumenical City Church Festival in Euskirchen.

Last year, the Klingende Hände sign language choir made its debut at Beethovenfest Bonn. At the opening festival »Clear the Stage for Beethoven«, it organised the opening concert on Münsterplatz together with the National Youth Orchestra of Germany and members of the Japanese sign language choir White Hands Chorus Nippon with an inclusive performance of Beethoven’s »Ode to Joy«, in which the audience also took part. 
Many more performances are planned for 2025, for example at the Ecumenical City Church Festival in Euskirchen, the Beethoven Festival in Bonn and the Tree of Religions in Euskirchen.