Greetings Handbell Musicians.

     When I think of handbells, I am usually looking for ways to do things in a bigger and more complicated fashion.  While there is value in continuing to push the envelope, it's also important that we occasionally take a step back and follow a simpler approach.  As I reflect on the 2012 Christmas season, there are a number of examples of where the simplest things were the most appreciated.

     For our fall season, the Emerald City Ringers followed a simpler approach for their Christmas concerts.  Rather than performing on our full 7 � octave set of handbells, we scaled back to a 5-octave set.  Also, rather than performing level 4-5 music, we chose level 2-3 Christmas repertoire.  By only requiring 30-35 feet of table (compared to the 45+ feet needed for 7 � octaves), we were able to fit in more venues and were able to bring our music to audiences who likely would not have gone out of their way to find us performing in a venue which is large enough to accommodate all of our bells.  We also found that the general public just wants to hear Jingle Bells and Jolly Old Saint Nicholas, and doesn't care if the arrangements are level 1 or level 6.

     Every year, my handbell groups at Faith Lutheran Church perform a Christmas concert.  This year, we ended the concert with the audience singing Joy to the World accompanied by organ and handbell groups stationed around the sanctuary playing bell peals.  I originally got this idea after seeing it on a PBS Christmas special, and read the specifics on how to set it up in an Overtones article written by Bill Payn.  Compared to the hours of rehearsal spent preparing music for the concert, the bell peals took practically no time at all.  We spent about 10-minutes in one rehearsal, and a few minutes prior to the concert with the organist.  After the concert, the bell peals were the only thing the audience talked about, and I was asked to put this together again for our Christmas Eve services.

     During one of our Advent services, the choir director and I played a duet for piano and handchimes.  Compared to most of the solos I've performed over the years, the chime part for this piece was very simple.  It used just four chimes which were LV throughout and fairly straightforward to four-in-hand.  We spent about 10-minutes to prepare this piece before playing it for the congregation.  After the service, we both got more comments about this piece than we did for any of the pieces performed by our groups which took many rehearsals to prepare.  I felt guilty since I do not like to diminish the value of the musical gifts my handbell groups have to offer, but this is another example of how something mundanely simple will often be most appreciated by the listener.

     As handbell musicians, it's important for us to continually try new things and push to advance our skills.  However, it's also important that we don't get so preoccupied with pushing ourselves into making the next big breakthrough that we forget about what our audiences and congregations expect from us.  We need to remember to occasionally take a step back, give ourselves a break, and just keep things simple.

Brian Tervo

chair.area10@handbellmusicians.org

by Barbara Mix, Idaho Chair 

      This is a fun article to write about a little school in Idaho and the musical excitement that was awakened for their elementary school children. The conduit to this extraordinary opportunity was the Idaho Chime Loan Program.

     Hansen Elementary School is a Title 1 school for grades Kindergarten through 6th grade in an economically challenged community. There is a large migrant population with 75% of the students qualifying for free or reduced lunches. Unfortunately, the school had to drop their music program for the 2010-2011 school year for lack of funds. Not surprisingly, the students and parents were very disappointed.

     Realizing that music is an important part of a child's education, two volunteer teachers, Jessica Erickson and Leejean Stanger, offered to help. They both have teaching degrees in special education and felt strongly that music is an important part of a child's learning. They spent hours in the classroom singing and teaching music fundamentals. When they heard of the Idaho Chime Loan Program they applied immediately.

     When notified that they were the recipients of the Idaho Chimes for the 2011-2012 school year, a new volunteer offered to help - school bus driver Cheryl Tuttle also know as Mrs. Purple. She had prior experience ringing in a church handbell choir as did Jessica Erickson who was currently ringing with a Twin Falls handbell choir.  They were excited to bring a new musical experience to the elementary classes.  They had already developed a curriculum of music fundamentals, rhythm, and theory and now could add caring and playing an instrument.

     The students were enthusiastic about ringing in a musical group and learned discipline and self-esteem along with the joys of achieving musical goals.  At the end of the school year, the school decided that they would somehow find a way to purchase what was needed to continue this program. The volunteer teachers, parents and community members pursued enough funds through various events to purchase three sets of chimes for the elementary school - two 2- octave sets and one 3-octave set of Suzuki Chimes.

      During the summer of 2012, the school and parents then transformed an unused building for a music classroom and "hired" the volunteer teacher/bus driver "Mrs. Purple" to continue the chime music program. They even painted the classroom purple!  With the extraordinary support of volunteers,  parents,  and the community, Hansen Elementary School now has a NEW music program in a customized building that resonates with the happy sounds of ringing chimes.

 Pictures taken at Hansen Elementary School 's Christmas Program on December 12, 2012.

April 20, 2013 * Bellevue, WA

     Emerald City Ringers, a community handbell ensemble based in the Seattle area, invites youth handbell choirs from around the Pacific Northwest to the 2013 Youth Handbell Festival. This year will feature three guest clinicians: Marlene Anderson, Ellie Hodder, and Emerald City Ringers Music Director and Area 10 Chair Brian Tervo. Please email colin@emeraldcityringers.org for a registration form.

     We are currently working with the Bellevue Red Lion Hotel for a discounted room block - rooms are anticipated to be $96/night, including free wi-fi and parking. Email for more details.

Fees (includes lunch and dinner): $55 per ringer postmarked by March 1 * $60 after March 1

Adult chaperones: $9 lunch, $12 dinner

Music List

Brochure/Registration Form

Email colin@emeraldcityringers.org or call 425-269-8182for more information.

     Isle Bells of Kodiak Island, Alaska, is hosting Mr. David Harris of The Raleigh Ringers the weekend of May 4-5, 2013, for a handbell seminar. Handbell musicians and conductors state and regionwide are invited to this special weekend of music and skills-building. Mr. Harris brings years of experience as Artistic Director of the internationally acclaimed Raleigh Ringers based in Raleigh, North Carolina. The cost of the weekend is $75 - the registration fee includes snacks on both days and all sessions with Mr. Harris, including the massed ring and final community performance. Checks can be made payable to "Isle Bells" and sent to P.O. Box 8818, Kodiak, AK 99615 to reserve a spot. Isle Bells is very excited to host Mr. Harris and share his skills with the state of Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. Please check the blog handbellseminarwithdavidharris.blogspot.com regularly for updates on travel, lodging, info about Kodiak and more. The three Massed Ringing pieces are: "How Can I Keep From Singing?" arr. by Arnold Sherman (Red River Music HB0060), "Grazioso" by Arnold Sherman, (Red River HB0042) and "Rejoice, He is Risen" by Cathy Moklebust (Choristers Guild CGB721). Please email Ella Saltonstall, Artistic Director of Isle Bells at islebells@gmail.com with any questions

     Virtual Handbell Ensemble is an exciting new project of the Handbell Musicians of America, in which you will have the opportunity to perform a new work of music via video uploads.

      Misterium, by James Meredith, consists of 135 musical segments to be recorded separately by individuals and small groups of players from around the world over a seven month period and uploaded to the web. All of the segments will be assembled by the editing videographer and the composer into the final work to be premiered online in July, 2013.

     For a video introduction by Mr. Meredith and all the information you need to participate, please visit the project website by clicking the picture above or going to virtual.HandbellMusicians.org.

 Handbell Musicians of America National Seminar moves around the country each summer. In 2013, we are so fortunate to have it in Area 10 in Portland at the Oregon Convention Center. The dates are July 24-27, 2013. Start making plans now to attend this exciting event. Keep watching HandbellMusicians.org for additional information.

 

      The repertoire this year is loosely organized around the theme of "Our Journey;" there are some really nice pieces on the repertoire list. Again there will be two groups The Siskiyous and The Cascades along with the Massed group and an opportunity for those ringers who love a challenge and can ring Level 4 and 5 music to ring in the Bronze Conference Choir. Ellie Hodder will once again direct the BCC; remember that you will need to apply to be part of BCC and must learn your ringing position prior to arrival. Rehearsals for the BCC will begin Friday at 4:00 pm.

     Registration materials will be sent out in early January with a March 1^st deadline for application to the Bronze Conference Choir. If you have any questions or would like registration materials sent electronically please contact Diane Barnes at dkbarnes@jeffnet.org.