The Newsletter of Area 1 Handbell Musicians of America | Vol. XXXVIII No. 6 | December 2023 | |
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IN THIS EDITION:
- Report from the Board Chair
- Notice of upcoming Area 1 Board Meetings
- Winter Workshop 2024 registration is open
- Area 1 updates Membership Regions
- Notes from State and Regional Chairs
- Please be sure to scroll down to see - and support - our advertisers
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Hello Area 1!
It’s the most stressful wonderful time of the year! Concert season is upon us as community ensemble ringers. As we run about spreading cheer here there and everywhere around the Area, the highlight of the season for me is talking to audience members. At an MVR concert at my church 6 years ago, there was an audience member who had been playing bells in a local church choir. Seeing the bass chimes on the rack for the first time ever, she sheepishly wandered up to the ringer playing them and asked to try. We always allow people to try - usually they want to hold the C3 and say how shockingly heavy it is.
The next year, that very same ringer saw a Facebook event for Ringing Under the Influence at a bar in the next town over sponsored by New England Ringers. She attended that event out of curiosity and had a wonderful time trying to keep up with the sightreading. She had only been ringing for 4 years at that point and only ever at church, but it was great fun reading pop music and meeting other people. One of those people was Lisa Arnold, who convinced her, I mean me, to audition for MVR. The rest is history. At that point I didn’t know anything about Handbell Musicians of America, I had a very basic handbell knowledge, and I didn’t know what I didn’t know.
Outreach matters. It’s one of the single most important tasks we do. As you head into this season, I encourage you to think about how you are able to spread the joy of handbells with others. When we play, there are always people listening. When we play, there are always others who are newer that we can encourage in their journey. What we do is SO incredibly special - it exists nowhere else in the music world. There is no team like a handbell choir.
With that in mind, I’ve arranged to go to my local senior center with the set of chimes I own. I’ll be there a few days after Christmas, and I’m bringing the Ring Along Christmas books by Artis Freeman. They’re designed so that you don’t need to have musical knowledge to play. Of course there are many more series than the Christmas ones, so when they have fun with this, we’ll move on to the Old Favorites or Songs of America. I might even convince some friends to play through 12 Bells in F by Linda Lamb or Jason Krug’s Ultimate Christmas Gig Book somewhere in public if we can coordinate our schedules.
I hope you have a wonderful holiday season full of bells and friendship. If you can include outreach on that list, even better! My last outreach plea is for you to consider joining us for Winter Workshop! We have some fabulous classes and clinicians this year. There’s a place for everyone and it is a great weekend!
Happy ringing!
Jenn Stack
Area 1 Chair
chair.area1@handbellmusicians.org
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Editor's Note: Area 1 is grateful to Handbell Services for allowing us to use their handbell silhouette artwork featured in our 'Report from the Chair' header. | |
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Notice of Area 1 Board Meetings
Area 1 Board Meetings are open to all members of the Guild and held three times a year, usually in January, May and September. Please note that our next regular Board Meeting is January 20. If you are interested in attending, please contact chair.area1@handbellmusicians.org
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Winter Workshop 2024 registration now open!
January 26-27 at UMass Amherst
Come and enjoy a fun event in the middle of the winter doldrums. Choose from two different ringing tracks:
Distinctly New England directed by Monica McGowan
Beyond Basics-Before Bronze directed by Andy Wallace and Jane Nolan
Plus, 10 different workshop opportunities, including:
Memorization, Team Building, Change Ringing, Bell Trees, Musicality with Monica McGowan, and 2 Rep Reading sessions: “Oldies but Goodies” with gently used music looking for a new home, and “Hot off the Press” selections from Jeffers.
Early bird registration fee is $190 and runs through December 20. All the details, including ringing track repertoire and lodging details, can be found at https://area1.handbellmusicians.org/winter-workshop/
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Scenes from Winter Workshop 2023: | |
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Area 1 Update to Membership Regions
Some changes to our membership regions were accepted by the board at our October board meeting. We voted to make regions that reflect the current active ringers in our Area, and it is our hope that these changes will support ringers all over Area 1. We welcome specific questions you may have; please reach out to Jenn Stack at Chair.Area1@HandbellMusicians.org at any time.
The Massachusetts State region has evolved over the past several years. We are thrilled to see the energy coming out of Cape Cod with very successful Spring Rings and workshops! Western Massachusetts has also been well represented as a region active in events and desiring more events and workshops to be held in their region. To that end, the Board has created two new positions: a Western MA Chair and a Cape & Islands Chair. Audrey Pierce has been appointed to serve as Western MA Chair. At this time, the Cape & Islands region will continue to be served by Abby Schoppe, our MA State Chair, until we find someone ready to serve in this role.
While discussing regions, it became clear that many ringers from Southern New Hampshire are quite active in the Greater Boston region due to their geographic proximity. Without a dedicated New Hampshire State Chair at present, we are grouping New Hampshire with the Greater Boston area, and both will be served by Abby Schoppe.
With these changes, Area 1's regions are currently represented by these capable chairs:
Connecticut and Rhode Island - Suzanne Neafus (CT.Area1@handbellmusicians.org)
Greater Boston/New Hampshire and Cape & Islands - Abby Schoppe (MA.Area1@HandbellMusicians.org)
Maine - Dana Humphreys (ME.Area1@HandbellMusicians.org)
Vermont - Pat Pranger (VT.Area1@HandbellMusicians.org)
Western Massachusetts - Audrey Pierce (WesternMA.Area1@HandbellMusicians.org)
Your local region will support you as a ringer by offering events and workshops within a reasonable distance to you. We encourage you to take advantage of the relative size of New England and keep informed of the many different opportunities offered throughout Area 1. You are only limited by your desire to drive/carpool and your availability. You are most welcome to attend any event that you wish to attend. Should you be interested in hosting workshops, please contact your area representative.
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Notes from CONNECTICUT
Suzanne Neafus, Connecticut State Chair
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December is always a busy time for bell ringers, and this year is no exception, with bell concerts and performances everywhere. Below is a list of some upcoming events. Please consider attending an event, as it is always great to go out and support your fellow musicians.
Preparations are underway for many handbell-related events for the early part of 2024. Information on the Upcoming CT Spring Ring is below. This issue will also contain information about upcoming events in MA, RI, and ME. Plenty of help is needed to make the CT Spring Ring a success. Please reach out if you are willing to help in any way. Thanks.
Did you know a single-day registration option is available for the upcoming HMA National Seminar? Even better, since the event will take place at the Connecticut Convention Center, there is a special CT resident discount rate. You can find more information about this event elsewhere in this issue.
With Christmas comes faith, hope, and love. I wish you and your family all these things during the upcoming holiday season. Best wishes, and I look forward to ringing with you all in 2024.
Suzanne Neafus
Connecticut State Chair
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Annual Candlelight Christmas Concert
Sunday, December 10, 2023 at 4:00 p.m.
First Church, 190 Court Street, Middletown, CT
Music by The First Church Choir, The Court Street Singers, The Treble Choir, Faith Ringers and Heart in Hand Bell Choir. Directed by Shari Lucas, Minister of Music. Free. Donations accepted. Handicapped accessible. Large reception following concert.
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Shoreline Ringers will be performing with the New Haven Symphony Orchestra on December 9 and 10. Concert details and tickets can be found at https://newhavensymphony.org/buytickets-holiday24/
And they are performing full concerts this season in Groton, Somers, and Branford, CT.
For more information, visit their website at https://shorelineringers.org
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Connecticut Spring Ring
WHEN: April 6, 2024, 9 AM to 4 PM
WHERE: Wethersfield United Methodist Church, 150 Prospect St. Wethersfield CT
CLINICIAN: Samantha Beschta
FEE: $20 per ringer
REPERTOIRE:
Eleanor Rigby - Lennon & McCartney / arr. Ron Mallory - JHS9528 /Level 3
Exultate Deo - Jell Fedon - MAG35355 / Level 3
It is Finished - William Gross - MFM20512 / Level 3
Timbrel & Dance - Kevin McChesney - CGB290 / Level 2+
REGISTRATION: will open in January
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With all the various events taking place in the next year, I can’t wait to see the Connecticut participants' pictures. Whenever you are ringing, don’t hesitate to snap a photo and send it to me at ct.area1@handbellmusicians.org. | |
Notes from MAINE
Dana Humphreys, Maine State Chair
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Hello Maine Ringers!
A short letter during this very busy month of December. We are all rehearsing, playing and enjoying lots of seasonal music from both sides of the music stands.
Personally, I’m busy with two things in the world of handbells – choir and ensemble Christmas music and getting ready for the 2024 Maine Spring Ring, on April 27 in Auburn, Maine. This year we will be offering four workshops. Mike Joy, our Coppers and Massed director, will be offering a workshop entitled “Developing Rhythmic Feeling,” a workshop he has developed recently and feels very passionate about. We will also have African drumming led by Kim Visbaras; a “Stop That Bell” techniques workshop led by Laura Begenwald; and, if you need a break from all the music, you can learn how to fold origami German bells with Debbie Hillman.
For those needing overnight accommodations, the Hilton Garden Inn in Auburn is offering us a block of
rooms on both Friday and Saturday nights at a $119 per night (double occupancy), a $50 per night
discount from their regular rate. A direct link to the hotel will be provided to those requesting it.
Registration will open the second week of January, so keep an eye on the Area 1 Maine Spring Ring page for updated information.
Happy Holidays to you all,
Dana
Maine State Chair
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Welcome to December, friends!
We know what a busy time of year this is for handbell (and other) musicians, and I’m excited to share information about upcoming concerts. But first, a word about the new geographical configuration within Area 1. We are mindful that it has been quite some time since Area 1 offered regular programming to those of you in New Hampshire. We also know that the I-93 corridor makes it comparatively easy for choirs in northeastern MA and in NH to attend each other’s events – frankly, most New Hampshire choirs are dramatically closer to Boston than choirs in the Berkshires or on Cape Cod. With this in mind, the new “Greater Boston MA & NH” region, encompassing eastern MA (with the exception of the Cape) and the state of NH, aims to meet the needs of ringers in both states.
If you live in Greater Boston, MA, I have already been your state chair for a few years, and I hope we’ve already been in regular communication – but don’t hesitate to reach out to me for help supporting your particular choir’s needs. And if you live in New Hampshire, hi! Please be assured that, although I live in MA, I do intend to make sure that plenty of Area 1 events begin happening in your state. I’m interested in the possibility of creating a New Hampshire Spring Ring in 2025 – and much sooner than that, I’d love to see Area 1 start offering skill-building workshops in New Hampshire in early 2024. Workshops could cover anything from basic ringing technique to weaving and 4-in-hand to small ensemble ringing… and if you have another topic you’d like ringers in your area to learn about, feel free to propose it! I’ll be in touch with many of you in the weeks ahead, but please proactively reach out to me if you would like to see
programming offered in your town or county!
Okay, now back to some regularly scheduled December programming! We are so lucky to live in an area that contains many advanced community choirs. Please consider attending an upcoming concert by the Back Bay Ringers, Merrimack Valley Ringers, New England Ringers, or Granite State Ringers, who will all be busily spreading holiday cheer over the next few weekends! In addition to supporting others in the handbell community, I think it directly benefits all of us when we attend each other’s concerts – it is so instructive and inspiring to observe what other groups are doing and to learn from them!
Looking ahead to the spring, I’m very excited to share information for the 36th annual Massachusetts Spring Ring. Because this event is held in Tewksbury, it’s also fairly convenient to those of you in New Hampshire, so I do hope we will see choirs from both states in attendance! Here is all the information:
When: Saturday, April 6, 2024, 10 AM to 5 PM
Where: Tewksbury Memorial High School
Clinician: Griff Gall, Artistic Director of the Back Bay Ringers
Cost: $15 per ringer
Repertoire:
MASSED: Peal con brio, by Karen Thompson. L2. Compatible 2-3 and 4-6 octave editions. AGEHR Publishing: AG23042 and AG46029.
MASSED (OPTIONAL FOR COPPERS): Go to Dark Gethsemane, by Jason Krug. L2. Compatible 2-3 and 3-5 octave editions. Beckenhorst Press: BEHB473 and BEHB475.
MASSED (OPTIONAL FOR TINS): Christ the Lord Is Risen Today, by Jason Krug. L3. 3-6 octaves. SoundForth Publications: SF201779.
COPPERS: Transitions of the Heart, by Matthew Compton. L3. Compatible 3-4 and 5-7 octave editions. Evergreen Music: EGM107 and EGM108.
While we always love to see full choirs attend together, partial choirs are also welcome, as are orphans. We anticipate that registration will open by January, but if you hope to attend, it’s not too soon to begin learning the music! And even if you're not interested, this is a great list of repertoire, so you may want to consider using some of it with your choirs anyway. I hope to see you at a handbell event soon! Until then, happy ringing!
Abby Schoppe
Greater Boston, MA & New Hampshire Chair
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Welcome to December, Cape Cod friends!
We on the Area 1 board are so excited by the renewed enthusiasm for handbells that we’ve seen on the Cape in the past year or so. The 2023 Cape Cod Spring Ring was a resounding success (despite the lack of a working microphone), and the Skill-Building Workshop this past October also generated lots of excitement! While offering these events, we’ve also become increasingly mindful of the geographic challenges for ringers on the Cape to attend events offered in other parts of Massachusetts. We desire to continue giving you on Cape Cod more educational and performance opportunities that are accessible for your region – and we also would like you to have your voices heard. With this in mind, as you have likely seen elsewhere in this issue, Area 1 voted to consider Cape Cod its own separate region going forward, rather than just another part of Massachusetts. The biggest thing this means is that, if any of you living on the Cape would like to become the chair for this region, you would have the opportunity of attending quarterly Area 1 board meetings (on Zoom) and of having a separate vote on any matters brought before the board.
Let me be very clear that the goal here is not to exclude the Cape from the rest of Massachusetts, but rather to make sure it is specifically included, with a board member who is able to speak specifically to the Cape’s needs. We also know that it may take some time to find someone from Cape Cod to join the board. Until the right volunteer emerges, I will serve as Cape Cod chair (despite not living on the Cape), as a continuation of the relationships I’ve had with many of you while MA state chair; I definitely am committed to continuing the work I’ve been doing spearheading events in your region. However, if one of you on the Cape is interested in taking over as chair, please don’t hesitate to let me know! I would definitely work with you in planning events for the first year, so that you would not be thrust into any task without support. It’s truly not a huge commitment and is an opportunity to connect with some other wonderful handbell musicians from throughout New England when attending board meetings (which, again, are held on Zoom).
Meanwhile, back to some regularly scheduled December programming! I know what a busy month this is for handbell (and other) musicians, and I hope you are all in the midst of preparing joyful offerings for your respective churches. In addition, please note that the New England Ringers will be performing on the Cape this month! Don’t miss their concert at First Church UCC in Sandwich, at 4 PM on Saturday, Dec. 2.
Looking ahead to the spring, Cape Cod Spring Ring will be here before you know it! We are so excited to welcome David Harris, director of the Raleigh Ringers, to the Cape! David is one of the most renowned handbell conductors in the country, and it will be a joy to come together under his direction. All the information is below, but in particular, please note the registration deadline of February 15 (this early date is necessary because of the venue’s cancellation policy). That’s really not very long from now, so please don’t forget to register for Cape Cod Spring Ring!
When: Saturday, March 16, 9 AM to 3:30 PM
Where: Harwich Community Center (100 Oak Street, Harwich, MA)
Clinician: David Harris, director of the Raleigh Ringers
Cost: $15 per ringer
Repertoire:
Peal con brio, by Karen Thompson. L2. Compatible 2-3 and 4-6 octave editions. AGEHR Publishing: AG23042 and AG46029.
Go to Dark Gethsemane, by Jason Krug. L2. Compatible 2-3 and 3-5 octave editions. Beckenhorst Press: BEHB473 and BEHB475.
Grazioso, by Arnold Sherman. L2+. 3-5 octaves. Red River Music: RRHB0042.
I hope to see you in March! Until then, happy ringing!
Abby Schoppe
Cape Cod & Islands Chair
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Hello Western MA -
Festival 2023 is done and in the books. Does that mean we are sitting back waiting for the next festival in 2025? Heck, no! We are already in the planning stages. Oh, let me back up and introduce myself. I'm Audrey, way out here in Western Massachusetts. I'm not only new to the Area 1 board, I am also now the chairperson for the newly formed Western Massachusetts region. I have only been ringing for 6 years but during that time I was also directing our small but mighty church handbell choir. After attending three Area 1 Festivals, I thought maybe I could pitch in and help... specifically, in the "tins" arena as 95% of my experiences, ringing and directing, have been tins experiences. So, why not? Why not help grow that group for Festival and for all of Western Mass? Ready or not, here I come. Let’s do this, let’s build ringing from the bottom up.
We want to hit the ground running in 2024. We are planning a spring workshop in Western Mass, but for this we need 2 things. First, we need a host. It won't be a lot of extra work, I promise. All we need is a large hall, use of your bells and tables, and a welcoming face at the door to greet people. The second thing we need are ringers who want to meet other ringers. The only prerequisites are that you love music, love ringing, and want to have fun! I really want to make this a great event but I definitely can't do it alone. So look through your calendars for an opening in February, March or April and let me know how you can help!
Speaking of events, don't forget about the Winter Workshop, January 26th & 27th at UMass Amherst. I've been to this event a couple times in the past 4 years and can't wait to attend again. Follow this link to find out more. https://area1.handbellmusicians.org/winter-workshop
And although I am only a Tin, emerging Copper and wannabe Bronze, I am here to serve all of you in any way I can. Always feel free to email me at westernma.area1@handbellmusicians.org with any questions, concerns, ideas and suggestions. It takes a village.
Ring On!
Audrey Pierce
Western MA Chair
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There has been some exciting handbell activity happening across Little Rhody!
Oktobellfest was a big success! The concert took place at The Armory in Westerly, Rhode Island on October 22. Ringers from all over New England made the trip down to the ocean for some fun music making. Selections included songs by the Beatles, Bon Jovi, and Oktobellfest's own special arrangement of the Beer Barrel Polka (thanks to Hart Morris), all led by David Harris!
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Several community and church handbell choirs have been ringing consistently throughout the fall. Here are some of them:
The OakLawn Choral Bells, in Cranston, RI, have been ringing bells for 45 years. Their only break was during the Covid shut down. They have 3 octaves of Schulmerich handbells and 4 octaves of Suzuki tone chimes. The age of their ringers range from 14 to 80+. In recent years they have not played outside of our church, but continue to play one Sunday per month in church. The fellowship and joy of ringing has kept their choir together for all these years. Their directors are Marilyn Drummond and Bob Kol.
Pascoag Community Baptist Church in Pascoag, RI, has a small ensemble of 5 ringers. They play once a month in the Sunday church service.
Our Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church in Smithfield, RI, is a small ensemble of 6 people. They ring once a month during the Divine Service. They just restarted their bell program this past spring, and they are planning to play for Christmas Eve service.
The Slatersville Congregational Church Handbell Choir, directed by Jill Boday, continues to perform during services about once per month. They have 13 members, and have been stretching their skills to include more techniques and more challenging rhythms. They are busy getting ready for the upcoming holiday season.
We hope to include future updates on the many other handbell choirs throughout Rhode Island. Some of us plan to travel up to UMASS this January to attend the Winter Workshop.Hope to see you there!
Submitted by Jill Boday
With thanks from Suzanne Neafus, covering Rhode Island/Connecticut State Chair
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