Alaska * Alberta * British Columbia * Idaho * Montana * Oregon * Saskatchewan * Washington
The Northwest Campanologist
Vol 13. No.10 October 2022
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Meet Your Alaska State Chair |
Greetings from Alaska!
I’m Caroline Valentine, an Alaskan resident for 50+ years and handbell ringer/director for 40+ years. I was first introduced to handbell ringing by Linn Schmidt in early 1980’s. She invited me and my husband to ring in her church bell choir. Linn was in and out of my life as a handbell musician for many years. She was a valued mentor. I’ve been fortunate to have many mentors through the years. Paula Johnson was another. When Ellie organized the ringers/directors years ago, I flew “down” to Portland to be a part of that first meeting. It’s all about learning for me.* I was in the first class of HMA’s Level 1 certified Handbell Musicians.
Who am I? I am married to Craig (55 years), mother of two adult children, grandmother of three teens. I taught mathematics (54 years) from 6th graders to college students. Craig and I operate an authentic bed and breakfast (40+ years.) I am a church musician (45+ years.) I serve my present church as organist, handbell director, and accompanist. Our handbell choir, the Northern Lights Ringers, rings 6+ octaves of bells and 7 octaves of chimes. We rang through the pandemic years from my driveway where we practiced and did recordings for our virtual church services. It got cold on the driveway. One creative ringer, Lynn Barber, wrote handbell-themed lyrics which we sang and recorded. (See footnote.) Last year we returned to the sanctuary to practice and ring for in-person worship services. Now we properly use the tables to mart a bell. We have only memories of bruising our bodies for our “art” of playing a mart without a table.
Probably you didn’t know much about me since I’ve been a handbell lurker gathering knowledge. I’m a shy person until I stand in front of my ringers ready to conduct. Then I’m big, bold and in charge. (Thanks, Ellie!)
Now it’s time to give back. So here I am, your up-North member ready to work with you.
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“I think one of the great things about being a musician is that you never stop learning.” Yo-Yo Ma
Pandemic Bells (sung to “I’m Singing in the Rain”)
We’re ringing if it rains. We’re ringing if it’s not.
We ring our bells with joy, be it weather cold or hot.
A smile behind each mask, there’s nothing more we ask.
We’re giving, we’re giving all we’ve got
Snow Bells (sung to tune “Let It Snow”)
Oh, the weather out here is frightful, but the ringing’s so delightful.
Since Caroline won’t let us go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.
Though our fingers will soon be numb, our bells joyful sounds will ring.
Though the weeks that will surely come, snow-muffled music we’ll bring.
Oh, the weather out here is frightful, but the ringing’s so delightful.
Our bells swinging to and fro, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.
Lyrics to both were written by Lynn Barber, fabulous 4-in-hand ringer, at the time with Northern Lights Ringers
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Help Wanted! Area 10 Social Media Team |
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Are you quite the wiz on social media?
Area 10 would like to create a social media team to manage our social media presence. If you'd like to help out, please contact Shelley Giaier. |
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Discovery
Fall into Ringing
October 14-15, 2023
St. Albert United Church
20 Green Grove Drive
St. Albert, Alberta
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The Alberta Guild of English Handbell Ringers (ALGEHR) annual handbell festival, Discovery, is back in person this year! Don’t miss out on this great chance to catch up with handbell musicians from across Alberta. This year’s event, Fall into Ringing, will be held October 14-15, at St. Albert United Church. The event starts on Friday evening with an option of two breakout sessions and ends on Saturday evening with a concert which will include the most recent Fred Merrett Award for New Compositions winners.
With massed ringing and breakout sessions, there is something for everyone. If you are a director or ringer, come for a technique refresher or learn something new! We have a Youth Stream, and welcome young ringers to join us.
Watch the ALGEHR website for details of our latest fundraiser, a 50/50 raffle with the draw for the lucky winner being made during the evening concert at Discovery. By purchasing tickets, you will help ALGEHR purchase the former Concordia University of Edmonton handbell collection to enhance our outreach handbell programs.
Hope to see you at Discovery!
Fiona
Fiona Bamforth
President, ALGEHR
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Bells of the Cascades Christmas Concerts |
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Saturday, 17 December 7:00pm
Forest Grove United Methodist Church
1726 Cedar Street, Forest Grove, OR
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Sunday, 18 December - 7:00pm
Salmon Creek United Methodist Church
12217 NE Hwy 99, Vancouver, WA
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Snake River Handbell Conference |
Friday night and Saturday, February 10-11, 2023
Central Elementary School Gym
Nampa, ID
More details and registration information will be coming, but here is the repertoire list. Our clinician is Sandra Eithun. We have played some of her music in previous conferences and I think you will like her selections for our conference. One of the composers of the music is her son, Mitchell.
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Bells of the Cascades
2023 Spring Handbell Festival
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Saturday, Feb 11, 2023
Salmon Creek United Methodist Church
12217 NE Hwy 99
Vancouver, WA
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Open to choirs, ensembles and ringers of all levels: Challenge yourself, learn new skills, and meet musicians from around the region. The festival will include optional individual group rehearsals and massed rehearsals, with a free public concert.
Challenge yourself, learn new skills, and meet musicians from around the region. The festival will include optional individual group rehearsals and massed rehearsals, with a free public concert.
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Siskiyou Summit Handbell Conference
May 6, 2023
Together Again!
In Ashland, OR
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As the wider handbell community begins to gather again, Siskiyou Summit is back with a restart in 2023. As we all get back into the swing of rehearsals and live performances, I have decided to restart the event with a one day Massed Ring/Workshop format. Tim Waugh will still be our Conference Guest Conductor leading the full group in Massed Ringing. The repertoire list can be found below. It is revised from 2020 but is still exploring Fascinatin’ Rhythms. Join us for a Spring Day full of wonderful music and learning opportunities as we celebrate our extended handbell family.
Event Registration is $65/person by March 1st, after March 11st $75/person. Registration will open January 1, 2023. You don’t need a full choir to participate, Partial Choirs and “Orphans” are welcome to attend.
REPERTOIRE—accessible and suitable for use in Worship. All pieces have the optional addition of percussion and other instrumentation.
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Recollection L2+ Tim Waugh
Jerusalem My Happy Home L3 Cathy Moklebust
Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ L3 Benjamin
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Angels Sing Gloria L2+ Sandra Eithun
Festal Dance L3 Tim Waugh
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“Rendezvous on the Spokane”
Area 10 Conference June 16-18, 2023
CenterPlace Regional Event Center,
Spokane Valley WA
After meeting virtually for the 2021 AREA Conference “AREA 10 Goes Globell” we can meet again IN PERSON in June 2023. Rally your Choirs, friends, and family as we are together again and “Rendezvous on the Spokane”. Begin your 2022-2023 ringing year by checking out the conference repertoire list (insert link) and maybe programing some into your ringing year, prepping for June 2023. Registration will open January 1, 2023, with an Early Bird deadline of March 31, 2023.
The AREA 10 board invites anyone interested in leading a workshop at the AREA conference to contact Diane Barnes at eventschair.area10@handbellmusicians.org expressing your interest, topics you would like to teach along with any experience you’ve had with that topic.
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Our Guest conductors are “regular” people just like us, get to know Brenda a little bit more as she shares a bit about her life beyond handbells.
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We all bring our own journeys with us as we join to make music, so it might help if you know a bit about the person behind the name you might see on the top of a piece of music or standing on the podium at the festival.
I grew up in a small, rural area in southwestern Michigan on a fruit farm. This has turned me into a complete fruit snob. Nothing beats freshly picked fruit! All through school, I loved singing and dancing. I participated in a lot of show-choir camps. In undergrad, I sang in a vocal jazz group, and I was a singer/dancer at Cedar Point amusement park one summer. I thought it was crazy…I got paid to sing and dance?!?! I am a runner, pink is my favorite color and all things that sparkle.
Handbells made their entrance into my world when I was in the 5th grade, and they’ve been a part of my life ever since. I rang in my friend’s church handbell choir and was sad when that ended. Handbells re-entered my life through my church director of music positions, and I grew to love directing as much as playing. I started writing handbell music for my own choirs when I began as Director of Music at FUMC of Eaton Rapids, MI in 2002; as they say, necessity is often the mother of invention! My first handbell piece was published in 2014. I direct handbells at all levels from the beginner to master ringers. I have continued to write with my groups in mind – if it works for me and my groups, it seems to work for others, too. You might even notice some of the influence from my dancing and singing days showing up in the music itself!
I have three great kids and two fur babies who keep me busy. The two eldest are well into their undergrad programs and my youngest is in his last years of High School. Of course, all three are ringers (the youngest rings with Embellish in Grand Rapids, MI) and are often called into service to record demos of 8- and 12-bell music for Hope Publishing. This kind of free child labor can’t be beat! The fur babies are not involved in the recordings if we can help it.
When I direct a festival, I come prepared so we can make the most of our time together and MAKE SOME MUSIC! (Isn’t that why we’re all there, after all?)
I’m looking forward to getting to the west side of the country and making music with you all.
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For All Reasons -For All Seasons
Call Us!
Malmark Ambassadors
Marlene M. Anderson
Consultant - Clinician- Conductor.
Cell 206-390-0931
Wes Anderson
Maintenance Guru
Cell 206-390-8789
Serving
ALASKA - IDAHO- MONTANA - WASHINGTON
22515 6th Ave. S. Unit 504
Des Moines, WA 98198
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Tie-dyed gloves, T-shirts, CDs, and DVDs available for purchase on-line.
Click on the gloves to go shopping.
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The Raleigh Ringers
8516 Sleepy Creek Dr
Raleigh, NC 27613
919-847-7574
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Featuring music for:
a
Handbell solo, 8-bell Ensemble,
Handbell choir, 12-bell Ensemble,
Piano and more!
Our small-ensemble music is fully reproducible and available for immediate download!
All titles come with permission to live-stream and broadcast!
Visit us at
Follow us online:
Use coupon code "Area10" for 10% off your order
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A full service handbell store with music and accessories:
gloves, gifts, binders, mallets,
maintenance items,mallets, bell tree items, Malmark products
Visit us at
612-208-1741
1-877-426-3235
7209 Morgan Ave S
Richfield, MN 55423
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Advertising Rates
All ads are $5 per issue
There are two options:
1. An ad designed and formatted by you that is exactly 100 pixels x 300 pixels and sent in a jpeg or gif file. The ad will be hyperlinked to your website.
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Send ad or text with picture to Joann Wallenburn with how many issues you would like. An invoice will be sent to you.
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Area 10 Board of Directors |
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There are many ways you can help with Area 10 Administration |
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