Fundamental Tone - October 2020

The Newsletter of Area 1 | Volume XXXV No. 5 | October 2020

News for Handbell Musicians in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts,

New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont

Important

Festival Conference 2021

Update

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Notes from THE CHAIR

Lisa Arnold, Area 1 Chair

chair@handbellmusicians.org

Hello Area 1!

I hope everyone has had a wonderful summer and you found ways to make this unique experience memorable in a positive way. In a normal year, we would be starting to plan our holiday concerts, but this is anything but normal, so we’ve once again asked members throughout Area 1 to share with us some of the ways they have figured out ....More

From the Editor:

THANK YOU! to all who contributed to this edition of the Area 1 newsletter.

And THANK YOU! to our advertisers. Check out what others are doing during this unusual time, from virtual ensembles, to solo ringing, bell trees, and repertoire lists for use with small groups. You get the idea. What are you doing musically these days? Does your musical future still include handbell ringing? What resources could Area 1 provide for you now? During this time it is often difficult to know what questions to ask. Perhaps this publication can act as a brainstorming forum - Care to Share!

Past issues of the Fundamental Tone are available on the Area 1 website.

Notes from MAINE

Hello Maine Bell Ringers,

I have just a few words to share with you as I write my Fundamental Tone article. It has been a challenge for many of us to deal with the isolation that has been caused by this pandemic. We have missed seeing each other and performing beautiful music together. Some of us have made use of the quiet time to polish all our bells, and work on our music libraries. And some of us have caught up on reruns of “The Golden Girls” and all 13 seasons of “Heartland.”...More

Notes from RHODE ISLAND

Happy Fall!

It’s very hard to believe that it is October! Like many of you, I feel this year has been surreal. Like many of you I have, sadly, had to cancel many events planned for this year and work together with the Area 1 Board to “plan” events for the next year. ....More

Notes from VERMONT

What a year it has been so far! When Covid 19 took hold in early March, I had just arrived home after 4 wonderful days playing handbells with some of the best at Distinctly Bronze East. Little did we know how quickly our bells would be put in closets and silenced. The Vermont Handbell Assn had to reluctantly cancel Spring Ring 2020. With churches and schools closed, it has been a hard time for us musicians who count on making our music as an ensemble to gather. ...More

says……….

WE CAN DO THIS!

During these past many months of forced solitude and nervous uncertainty, and with greater frequency in the past few weeks, the Klapper Kat has heard from and about several Area 1 handbell ensembles organizing some manner of ringing. Is it like it was before……….? Surely not. The point is that many more directors and organizers are finding ingenious ways to insure that our art does not become more the victim of Covid-19 than it already has....

Notes from EDUCATION LIAISON

Six months ago, my world closed in. One by one, everything I was involved in was cancelled or postponed. That St Patrick’s Day event? Cancelled. Church choir rehearsal? Cancelled. School? Also cancelled. Handbell rehearsals, cancelled as well. Oh, and you’re going to take all of your office equipment home with you because we’re closing that too.

What?! I have So Many Questions!...More

Ring Around Covid

By Jane Nolan

As we are all weathering the challenges of this pandemic, let’s take an opportunity to talk about something that makes us feel better. Let’s talk about handbell ringing; something we have longed to do since March and can do again with some simple changes.

In these unprecedented times, many of our churches are closed for in-person services. While some churches are taping and live ...More

The Upside(?) of COVID

By Diane Burke

I did not need to be reminded of how much handbells meant to me - I had dedicated a large portion of my waking hours to it. With 3 rehearsals a week in different churches, a 4th every other week in another, and at least 2 church services a month, I had even figured out how to work my day job around it. Because I was out of the house more than I was in, one of my friends jokingly asked my husband if he would still recognize that little blond woman who lived here, and his reply was, “Well, I could still pick her out of a lineup, so I guess that’s good.” Ah, love!....More

Comfort and Joy

By Amy Rollins

What will I remember most about the year 2020?

So much chaos, too many worries, lots of sanitizing! All the more reason to be thankful for the music in my life, and particularly, the music I make with handbells.

How fortunate I am to have access to handbells, now and throughout the pandemic. During those cold, uncertain days of March, I readied my favorite Easter hymn as a belltree solo, and recorded it for my church’s Zoom services. Ringing from the comfort of my living room, I played Christ the Lord is Risen Today many times until it sounded just right. There was no adrenaline rush that comes with live performance, just pure satisfaction....More

Margaret H. Shurcliff

Leadership Award

NOMINATIONS ARE NOW BEING ACCEPTED

Is there someone special you know who tirelessly promotes handbells and HMA for Area1?

Is there a teacher or director who had the patience and took the extra time to get you and your handbell group up to speed?

Just how much do they love and promote handbells?

Area 1 wants to know about them and reward them.

The level of some of our Area 1 talent rises above all others. And those are the people we will honor with the Area 1 Leadership Award, named for Margaret Shurcliff, who began the history of handbells in America right here in New England....More

Need 2 Octave Repertoire?

Look no further - Here is a list complied by Pamela (PL) Grove

AGEHR Published Titles – music with no bell changes

In these unique times, if you are looking for music with no bell changes, AGEHR has published some*. These pieces vary in difficulty and range of bells, (2 to 6 octaves). All can be played with ringers at music stands or at separated tables...More