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Alaska * Alberta * British Columbia * Idaho * Montana * Oregon * Saskatchewan * Washington

The Northwest Campanologist

Vol 15. No.3 March 2024

CALLING FOR LEADERS!

AREA 10 ELECTIONS - LOOKING FOR CANDIDATES!

Our candidate search is ongoing. We are making progress, but… we need more Area 10 members to offer themselves to serve as either Area 10 Secretary or Chair-Elect. Are YOU ready to step up to Area 10 leadership? Or, do you know of another handbell enthusiast in our Area who might run for one of these two offices? You love ringing and want to keep it alive and well in the Northwest, don’t you? Then, please help us to keep our organization strong! We need your input to help find new leaders!

Email me about your interest or who else we should contact, and I will be in touch!

Tomi Kent, Nominating Committee Chair

chairelect.area10@handbellmusicians.org

Bells of the Cascades Cruise Returns

Shortly after I learned about the handbell cruises put on by Bells of the Cascades, COVID hit. I have been waiting somewhat impatiently for their return. THEY ARE BACK! Check out the website for all the good scoop. 2025: A Whale of a Cruise

Do you want more challenge in your ringing?

Distinctly Bronze is an advanced ringer event that takes place twice a year - once on the East Coast in Feburary/March and once on the West Coast in October. The group includes over 100 ringers ringing everything in 7-9 octaves. The last East Coast concert included low bass aluminums and bronzes, Petit Fritzens, Silver Melody Bells^TM, Whitechapel bells, and Water Bells. The music usually ranges in difficulty from level 4-6.

The East Coast weekend also includes Crescendo, which is a smaller group that works on level 3-4 music with a conductor, then joins the Distinctly Bronze (DB) group for the final concert, ringing two of the pieces along with the DB group. Crescendo is an excellent stepping stone to figure out if DB is really for you. Taking advantage of our very own Coppers Classic (see below) in Oregon is another great way to work your way up to DB level.

If you are interested in applying for DB, there is an application process for the first time you wish to attend. After that, as long as you maintain the DB ringing standards and attend at least one DB every two years, you are eligible to continue ringing in either or both DBs each year. WARNING: DB ringing can become addictive!

Check out the HMA website for more information on Distinctly Bronze. Sign-ups for Distinctly Bronze West 2024 in Vancouver, WA with Fred Gramman conducting will be happening in early April.

Area 10 Events

Coppers Classic April 5-7, 2024

Monarch Hotel

Clackamas, OR

If you are in the Clackamas or Portland areas, please join us for our concert, Sunday, April 7, 2024 at 4PM at the Monarch Hotel.

One of the highlights in Area 10 is our Coppers Classic event. The event was founded in 2015 by Ellie Hodder who noticed a big gap in our events for intermediate ringers both adults and students. Coppers Classic is an event that fills that gap.

This year, we will be opening up the ringing floor to host more ringers from Area 10, across the US and Canada (and further!). This multi-day challenge will push you “just enough” out of your comfort zone to grow as a handbell musician. If you were unable to register this year, be sure to follow this newsletter and other sources to hear about when registration opens next year, usually in the fall sometime.

Coppers Classic Website

41st Big Sky Handbell Festival

April 26-27, 2024

Helena High School

Helena, MT

Clinician: Sandra Eithun

Repertoire Director's Notes

Festival Information *** Registration Form

This event is endorsed by Handbell Musicians of America.

Siskiyou Summit Handbell Conference

Vintage and Vogue

May 3-4, 2024

2024 is the 70^th Anniversary of the Guild. Let’s celebrate the guild and what it has done for our chosen instrument, the Handbell. The repertoire spans the last forty years from when techniques for our instrument were being developed and employed by adventurous advocates for the art of Handbell Ringing through their composing and arranging for bells up to the present. Along with ringing there will be workshops that focus on those special ringing and stopped techniques to help us employ them in our ringing to their fullest potential.

The Bronze Conference Choir is back in 2024, directed by Ellie Hodder—participation in BCC is by application. For this group to be successful a minimum of 11 Advanced/Intermediate Advanced ringers (very comfortable ringing Level 4 music) are required. See the link to repertoire for the music we will be playing this year. Participants are required to purchase their music ahead of time and learn their part prior to arrival in Ashland.

Barbara Walsh

Our Guest Conductor is Barb Walsh, of Reno Nevada, founder and artistic director of Tintabulations. Barb has been ringing handbells since 1985 and conducting bells since 1986. Barb taught general music for Washoe County School District for 33 years before retiring. She has developed handbell programs ranging from school-aged children to the adult mixed-age community group, Tintabulations.

She brings an energy and a keen ear for musicality to the music she conducts. When not teaching, directing, or ringing, Barbara plays flute and piccolo in local orchestras. Barb and her husband, Dave, have four children – a dog and three horses with whom they enjoy backcountry adventures.

Schedule *** Repertoire

Registration opened January 1, 2024. Registration Form, BCC Application Form

Contact Diane Barnes at dkbarnes@jeffnet.org if you have any questions.

This event is sponsored by Handbell Musicians of America.