Upcoming events Area 10

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The Northwest Campanologist

Vol 15. No.10 November 2024

Letter from the Chair

November Gratitude.

After 16 years directing the handbell choir at First Presbyterian Church, Missoula, I have collected some amazing performance moments of the spine-tingling sort.

While complimenting the choir, now and then I will say, “You know, I really owe my thanks to all of your music teachers!” Some of these ringers haven't thought about their music teachers in years, and I don't mind causing them to reflect on where they are and how they got there.

There is another group of people that I heartily celebrate, and these are the folks who create our handbell arrangements. What awesome music we have! I

would not stay in this work if the musical result was not as beautiful and inspiring, or as exciting and exhilarating as it is. Thank you, Arnold Sherman, Michael Joy, Sandra Eithun, Matthew Compton, Karen Buckwalter, Julie Turner, Jason Krug, and on and on.

Thanks also to those who have served on our Area 10 board and are now moving on to new projects. Many thanks to Shosh Meyer, as she has completed her term as Secretary and can now be fully committed to building choirs and individual ringers in the Portland area. Thanks to Barb Silvey, who has completed her service in the Chair rotation for the past 6 years. And, of course, a big thanks to to Shelley Giaier for her tireless and caring leadership, as she assumes the position of Past Chair.

We are delighted to begin working with Corbin Rasmussen, our new Chair-Elect and Sharon Ross, Secretary. We also welcome Jonathan Rose as our new Idaho State Chair.

Have a peaceful season of gratitude, everyone!

Tomi Kent, Chair

Area 10

Mark Your Calendars:

Coppers Classic

Coppers Classic is a massed ringing event for advanced coppers handbell musicians held annually in Portland Metro Area in Oregon. Through the years participants have traveled from all over the United States and Canada. Three full days of rehearsal culminates in a public concert on Sunday, March 30, 2025, at 4 pm. Tickets are $10 at the door.

Registration and scholarship information are now live for Coppers Classic.

Dates: March 28-30, 2025

Location: Monarch Hotel and Conference Center (12566 SE 93rd Avenue, Clackamas, OR 97015).

Information: Coppersclassic.com

Registration: https://coppersclassic.com/register/

“Awe and Wonder”

Siskiyou Summit Handbell Conference

May 2-3, 2025

Mark your calendars for the 2025 Siskiyou Summit Handbell Conference. This year’s guest clinician is Jason Krug (bio below). Our theme is “Awe and Wonder,” featuring music that expresses the feeling when we experience the grandeur and beauty of God’s creation and His gift of love to us. Our weekend begins on Friday night with massed ringing rehearsal and continues Saturday with massed, division ringing; workshops; and a closing concert in the evening. Click on the links below for Schedule, Repertoire List, and Registration Materials.

Registration opens January 1, 2025—

Early Bird Registration Fee is $80/ringer before March 31 and $85/ringer

after March 31.

A $5 discount/person is available for choirs with 5 or more ringers attending.

REPERTOIRE SCHEDULE REGISTRATION

Questions—contact Diane Barnes, Events Chair, at dkbarnes@jeffnet.org

Jason Krug, Bio

Jason W. Krug (b. 1978) is a native of Indianapolis, Indiana. He holds a degree in music from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is a full-time freelance composer, arranger, clinician, and teacher. Since his first publication in 2006, he has had over 500 compositions and arrangements accepted for handbells, piano, strings, organ, and choir. His works have been featured at numerous festivals and workshops in the United States and beyond. He is also handbell editor for Beckenhorst Press, as well as the owner of and editor for Grassy Meadow Music.

In his spare time, Jason enjoys writing. He has spent several years working on a young adult fantasy series, The Sadonian Chronicles, and has released a non-fiction book, The General Theory of Creativity. He also enjoys solving the Rubik’s Cube and similar puzzles and has participated in several competitions sponsored by the World Cube Association. Jason continues to live in Indianapolis with his wife Ellen, his sons Daniel and Malcolm, and his feline creative consultants Figaro and Nocturne.

Rogue Valley Manor Handbell Choir—It is never too late to learn to Ring!

The choir was founded in the late 1980’s when Marge Knox became a resident at this retirement community in Medford, Oregon. She had been the founder of the bell program at the First United Methodist Church in Medford, and when she moved to The Manor she intended to bring the joy of ringing to its residents. Marge was the first director of the group, welcoming ALL who wanted to learn to ring or had rung before and wanted to keep ringing.

The directorship has passed through various hands throughout the years, and I was contacted a little over a year ago and asked if I would restart the choir after a COVID hiatus. It has been a joy to work with the group of ringers who range in age from their early 70s to mid-90s who, all but two, began ringing last fall. We meet each Friday for 90 minutes. A typical rehearsal is comprised of a bit of stretching, some warm-up exercises and a new techniques review for upcoming pieces we are working on. The ringers come each week, energized and ready to learn about ringing and work hard to make great music.

The group takes pride in what they are doing and is eager to grow as a musical group. We presented a concert in late May with a program of music ranging from classical, hymn, and folk song arrangements - all coming from the many reproducible collections available. We are now working up a Christmas concert with pieces that include many of the techniques that add color to the arrangements and incorporate key changes, typical L2+ pieces. The group may be “advanced” in years but are young at heart. Staying active and learning new skills that keep them “young”.

Diane Barnes

New Group Gets Off to a Great Start

The Lilac Community Handbells recently hosted a Meet and Ring event and were happy to bring numerous ringers together at Colbert Presbyterian Church. Ringers came from Spokane and the surrounding area, including Coeur d’Alene, Colville, and more.

Lilac Community Handbells is a new organization based in Spokane, hoping to unite handbell ringers and enthusiasts from northeastern Washington and northern Idaho. Our mission is to bring awareness of handbells to the greater community and provide support to ringers across the area, whether that be a church choir with five ringers or someone who has played in a large community choir. All skill levels are encouraged to participate in LCH’s events.

If you’d like to be notified of future events, you are encouraged to fill out the following survey: https://forms.gle/Bz9iCUumxPUkf1hL8. This will sign you up for LCH news and allow you to indicate how you’d like to stay informed about handbell events in the region.

For more information you can also contact:

Cindy Boldrick at (509) 990-9293, c_boldrick@hotmail.com

or Sue Poe at (509) 675-5040, susan.poe@gmail.com.

Keep up with what's going on...

Area 10 website: https://area10.handbellmusicians.org/

Area 10 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HandbellMusiciansOfAmericaArea10

Area 10 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hmaarea10/

Invite people to your events

If you are hosting an event, there are several places you may wish to consider advertising.

Send your announcement to communications.area10@handbellmusicans.org or campanologist.area10@handbellmusicians.org to share your event information with the Area 10 newsletter, Area 10 website, and Area 10 social media accounts. Newsletter deadlines are the 20th of the month prior to publication.

Have you heard about Brian Seemann and Nick Hanson's podcast, Two Tacos High? They are offering everyone space on their website to advertise events. There is a form for you to complete here: https://www.twotacoshigh.com/events