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Area 12 Board
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REMINDER: There will be no Twelfth Tone newsletter in July. See you in August! |
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Message from the Chair - Scott Leggett
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Greetings all!
Summer is upon us, and as I reflect on all the wonderful events and activity in Area 12 this ringing season, it makes me very proud of this organization and excited for where we are and what is to come next season.
This season, Area 12 sponsored or endorsed workshops and Spring Rings in every corner of our area -- from Redding, California, to Las Vegas, Reno, Sacramento, the Bay Area, Southern California, and Hawaii. The Area 12 board gathered together twice for 2-day meetings carrying out the work for our area, planning future events including our Area Conference in Las Vegas next summer, as well as exploring ways to grow our membership and promote handbell ringing.
One important area the board has prioritized for growth is bells and chimes in education. This includes not only reaching out to the schools that have bell and/or chime programs, but to encourage schools to introduce ringing into their programs by using Area 12's bell and chime loan program more effectively, as well as finding ways to collaborate with music teachers and providing education to them on the art of handbell ringing and how to start a program at their schools. If anyone has any interest or insight in how Area 12 can better serve bell or chime programs in schools, please reach out to any of the Area 12 board members.
I am very excited for how our July 2020 Las Vegas conference is coming together. There will be more and more information coming out over the next few months so please stay tuned and be first in line to register in the Fall.
In other news, on Sunday May 19, Southern California Regional Coordinator (and former Chair) Michèle Sharik presented Special Service Awards to Bill & Lee Waggener in honor of their many years of service to Area 12 and to the worldwide handbell community. Congratulations and many heartfelt thanks to Bill & Lee!
Thank you all for your support of Area 12, and Happy Ringing.
'Til next time,
Scott Leggett
Chair
[email protected]
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Red, White, & Bells - Las Vegas 2020
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COMPOSITION CONTEST RESULTS
Area 12 Conference in Las Vegas, July 2-5, 2020
Area 12 is happy to announce that the winner of our 2019 Composition Contest is
Fervent Freedom by Mike Mazzatenta. This winning composition will be published and included in the repertoire list for the 2020 Area 12 Conference in Las Vegas. Congratulations to Mike Mazzatenta!
We had a total of 12 submission from eight composers -- all excellent submissions. As chair of the committee, I was very excited to see so many pieces submitted for our consideration. I truly encourage all of these composers to keep writing, and get their pieces to publishers -- I want to play those pieces!
Tessique Houston
Area 12 2019 Composition Contest Chair
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Featured Article -- Bells & Chimes in Education
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KatRyn Howell is Director of Area 12's Handbells and Handchimes in Education program. Twice each year, she will share a story of how bells or chimes have made a difference in an Area 12 school.
8th Grade Music Ensemble in San Mateo Experiences
Area 12 Handbells
Eighth graders at North Shoreview Montessori School, a K-8 public magnet school in San Mateo, CA, enjoyed the opportunity to participate in a handbell ensemble this year, capping their musical experiences at the school which have included performing on marimbas, steel drums, and boomwhackers. With assistance from members of the Bay Area's Velocity Handbell Ensemble, the students mastered basic bell techniques and performed at three school events. The final performance included a sing-along with 400 fellow students as well as a guest appearance by teachers and parents who formed an impromptu bell ensemble at the end of the year. Thanks to Area 12 for supporting this opportunity to expand the students' musical horizons!
If you are a school music teacher and would like more information regarding Area 12's handbell & handchime loan program, please email KatRyn!
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Northern Nevada - Barb Walsh
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Howdy!
The Umpteenth Annual Young Ringers Festival (held on May 21) was such a fun day full of learning. The students were amazingly focused and so well behaved!
Thank you so much to their music teachers -- Diane Bell, Melanie Graber, Elizabeth Eggleston, and Ariel Scarborough -- for preparing them so well, and thank you also to
Amy Barthel, Washoe County School District Fine Arts Coordinator, for continuing to support bells and chimes in the schools!
We also had a great time at the 17th Annual Sierra Spring Ring on May 18. There was a lot of fun, fellowship, sharing, and learning during the massed ringing as well as great classes taught by members of Tintabulations. And of course the snacks were amazing!
Please join us next time!
For information on Northern Nevada's concerts, events,
and other opportunities,
click here.
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Southern California - Michèle Sharik
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Hi there, SoCal --
We had such a great time at the 2019 SoCal Spring Ring, held Friday & Saturday May 17 & 18 in Oceanside. Alex Guebert, returning for his second time as our conductor for massed ringing and for our Bronze Vision conference choir, was incredibly patient yet exacting in his musical requests, and Jane Booth's class on Change Ringing was a big hit. Our final concert was attended by a bit more than 100 people, many of whom were attending their very first handbell concert!
We hope you'll join us next year on May 23 when we'll be under the direction of Douglas Lynn, director of handbells at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Oceanside.
For information on Southern California's concerts, events,
and other opportunities,
click here.
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Los Angeles Metro - Sharon Guilliams
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Howdy, howdy, LA Metro!
Summer is almost upon us.
As everything seems to be winding down for the handbell ringing season, I find myself once again tired and at times wondering why do I do this to myself? It is exhausting at times to balance my handbell life, church life, work life, bike riding life and keeping hubby happy life (keeping Bruiser our Frenchie happy is a piece of cake). But I will share a story that make my heart sing and keeps me going:
My community handbell group gives all proceeds from any concerts, etc., to a local homeless prevention organization called Family Assistance Ministries (FAM). This is an organization that I knew about through my church before the community handbell group even started. One of my ringers, not originally associated with the church, got to know about FAM through our bell group. My ringer contributes to our projects and is faithful in attendance. She shared with me at pizza and beer after our most recent concert that she was able to refer a friend's niece to get help from FAM. The niece had come out to California to get away from a domestic violence situation, and was struggling to adjust and find housing here in southern California. With the help of FAM the niece is now set up in housing and doing well. This same ringer indicated that she found out that one of her employees had also used FAM resources to get some help. Our concert raised $1400 for FAM and the
Heavy Metal Youth packaged 50 "Camper" hygiene kits!
Sometimes the small things make a big impact. We all want 500 people (not related to the bell ringers) to come to our concerts and for our ringers to ring Level 5 music to perfection. I have big dreams of a 150-person ringing Christmas tree playing at South Coast Plaza and many other lofty dream regarding bells. But sometimes our small acts make the real (big) difference. Josh Wilson's song,
Dream Small says it so well. One of the verses and the refrain say:
Of course, there's nothing wrong with bigger dreams
Just don't miss the minutes on your way to bigger things
'Cause these simple moments change the world
So dream small
Don't buy the lie you've gotta do it all
Just let Jesus use you where you are
One day at a time
Live well
Loving God and others as yourself
Find little ways where only you can help
In other news, the first weekend of May was a busy weekend for Los Angeles Metro choirs! LA Bronze and St. John Lutheran's Cathedral bells, both under the direction of Alex Guebert, were pleased to welcome composer Matthew Compton of Portland, Oregon, for their performances. LA Bronze premiered a new piece by Matt entitled
Soundscapes, a rhythmic and energetic composition featuring handbells, Silver Melody bells, Petit and Fritzen bells, percussion, and water bells. St. John's performance also included Matt's
Spires, as well as a new piece by Alex Guebert,
Jesus Christ is Risen Today, as other works by Vivaldi, Bach, Debussy, and Dobrinski.
Next time, I'll share about the "Read, Ring, and Rejoice!" event happening
today (June 1, 2019) in Whittier.
And save the date!
Pasadena Fall Fun Ring
Friday & Saturday, October 18 & 19
Pasadena Presbyterian Church
Classes & Massed Ringing with
the artists of Timbré
More information and registration forms will be
available for download
HERE by July 1.
This event is endorsed by Handbell Musicians of America.
Check our website calendar often for other ringing opportunities.
For now, rest, rejuvenate, and dare to "Dream Small"!
Sharon Guilliams
[email protected]
For information on LA Metro's concerts, events,
and other opportunities,
click here.
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Central California - Christine Anderson
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On Sunday May 19, my husband & I attended a really fun handbell concert at Camarillo First UMC, and we were so glad we did!
Five bell choirs were featured, from little cherubs to adults, plus an excellent brass quintet and vocal choir along with a few other instruments. Handbell concerts are more interesting, in my opinion, when other voices and instruments are added.
Other than enjoying the concert, I was encouraged to hear of other handbell choirs very active in the Camarillo area (even though it's Ventura County and so not strictly CenCal!), helping each other with subs when needed!
So, Central California ... what concerts have y'all had recently, or have coming up? Is anyone doing a patriotic concert in July? Do you want one, but need some encouragement?
By the way, a friend just contacted me about a set of bells for sale with all the equipment. I said I'd let my bell colleagues know (FYI, I get no benefit from the sale, I just want to get the information out in case anyone is interested). Please let me know if you're interested.
And if you need any ideas of what to do this summer, I have a few!
Ringing in the joy,
Christine Anderson
[email protected]
For information on Central California's concerts, events,
and other opportunities,
click here.
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Northern California - Sandi Walker-Tansley
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Don't forget to save the date for this fall festival!
October 5, 2019
CrossPointe Community Church
2960 Hartnell Ave, Redding, CA 96002
Guest conductor: Barbara Meinke
This festival is a great way to start your fall season of ringing! There will be massed ringing, classes, and a concert open to the public. In addition to Barbara Meinke conducting the massed ringing, Barb Walsh and Tintab from Reno will lead the Revving Up for the Red Zone Bronze Choir -- a new take on a bronze choir with plenty of hands-on help for you first-timers who want a challenge. The Salvation Army 8-bell ringing class is sure to please anyone who plans to ring for this organization during the holidays. You will leave this class with music in hand!
Registration fee: $35.00 per ringer
Additional info and registration form can be downloaded
here.
This event is endorsed by Handbell Musicians of America.
For information on Northern California's concerts, events, and other opportunities,
click here.
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Aloha!
I hope your spring is going well. I am knee-deep in concerts and still have a few more to go.
I have been taking a journey for the last few years into redirecting my focus and efforts onto youth. I ventured out on my own last fall and formed a middle school group at the YMCA. It has been going well! We did a joint concert last night with an elementary school group and it was magical; their faces showed such a great deal of accomplishment and pride! We have a couple kids that need more help, but they are all so excited to ring handbells and we are really glad we can give them this. I would especially like to acknowledge the volunteers who help, as they are incredibly supportive.
The elementary group has some kids that will feed into this middle school group next year and they are really looking forward to it.
Building a group like this is hard -- finding the commitment from the youth is challenging, but they are always looking for places and activities where they fit in, and this gives them an opportunity to do so. I have had some successful years with youth handbell programs in the past, with three healthy groups, but some road blocks on the continuation of these programs lead to me start this group at the YMCA.
I have worked for over 15 years in the mental health/substance abuse field, working with troubled teenage youth. Most of them come from lives without healthy structure, so these types of activities and programs give them the opportunity to have a safe, substance-free, and positive environment. I have been looking for other opportunities and sharing with others how awesome this is. I will not give up! I want to educate others about how handbells is such a great opportunity -- and one that
we already know!
Mahalo and have a great summer.
Karen Carlisle
[email protected]
For information on Hawaii's concerts, events,
and other opportunities,
click here.
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Southern Nevada - Alison Pruett
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Alison Pruett
For information on Southern Nevada's concerts, events,
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San Francisco Bay Area - Marquise Usher
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Marquise Usher
For information on San Francisco Bay Area's concerts,
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