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The early bird deadline for our Vegas Conference fast approaches! You won't want to miss the excellent classes on offer, and a chance to ring some great repertoire with some fabulous clinicians. Don't have a whole choir? No problem! We want individuals and small groups too! Haven't been able to practice much ahead of time? No problem, we have a plan for that. Don't think you're a strong enough ringer? No problem! There are three divisions of ringing, each suited to different difficulty levels. Come to Vegas to learn and grow as a ringer or director! There's lots of great sightseeing too! And who wouldn't want to see the Vegas 4th of July fireworks? Check out our website for more information.
Hope to see you there!
Kendra
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Martalina here –
When you think of Area Conferences from the past, you may think about your 12-person choir rehearsing for weeks and using the pieces in church, and then the ROAD TRIP! Times may have changed, and our groups may look a little different, but the awesomeness of attending Area 12’s conference has not. Individuals and small groups as well as full choirs, will find new friends, new music, and a sense of renewal at Red, White & Bells.
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If you are a seasoned ringer or new to the handbell ranks, there is something for you at Red, White & Bells. The Regional Coordinators are discussing setting up “pick-up’ rehearsals so that individuals and small groups can ring the conference music prior to the conference. In addition, our May Bell Table Talks will be all about how to prepare for the conference if you are an individual or small group ringer. So join us in Vegas, you know you want to. Our conference website has all the details. |
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While Vegas is known for its casinos, (I hate casinos, but Bronzer loves to play craps.) There are plenty of things to do before and after the conference, as well as things for families to do while you are filling your soul with handbell music. While the Full Time/Full Ride positions have been filled, there are still opportunities to volunteer to help with the conference. While you can indicate your willingness to help when you register, you may give us detailed information by completing our volunteer application. If an adult family member is just going to be hanging out, they may want to help out and learn what it means to “schlep.” Register to Volunteer
But if family members are looking for something to do, we are working on a list of family friendly activities. But for a start, there is Cowabunga Bay Water Park, the Pinball Hall of Fame, the Spring Preserve Botanical Garden, and the “world’s tallest observation wheel.” Hoover Dam and Lake Mead are great day trips. I think I may have to go to the Water Park on Friday before the Conference. Which swimsuit should I wear? I know …. my red, white, and blue one and I can wear my conference shirt as my coverup!
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And lest we forget, we have our April Bell Table Talks. This month’s topic is all about the Youth Conference. Barb Walsh will be joining us. |
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Bell Table Talk dates are: |
- Tuesday, April 19, 2022, at 7:00 pm Pacific
- Sunday, April 24, 2022, at 3:00 pm Pacific
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As always, you are more than welcome to join us and ask any question you may have relative to the conference. Join us on Zoom.
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Red, White & Bells is sponsored by Handbell Musicians of America, dedicated to uniting people through the musical art of handbell and handchime ringing.
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Unpublished Music Reading Session |
I hope all of you directors and ringers are preparing to attend Area 12's "Red, White, & Bells" conference in Las Vegas this July. It certainly looks like it's going to be a lot of fun for everybody! Personally, I am looking forward to teaching for both the youth and the regular conference attendees, which is one of my most favorite things to do.
I am also organizing an Unpublished Music Reading Session, so to any composers & arrangers out there, please contact me via e-mail for more details about this opportunity to not only hear your pieces played by real, live ringers, but to also get good feedback from those ringers, other composers, and directors who may want to program your piece for their own groups. These sessions are always a lot of fun for both ringers and composers, so I hope you composers will sign up for this great opportunity and you ringers will sign up to ring—it’s a great way to work on your sight reading skills!
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Much of our Spring board meeting on March 19 and 20 was focused on our area conference, Red, White & Bells, coming up July 2-5. The summer sounds so far away, and yet will be here before we know it. The conference choir has been chosen, as well as the scholarship winners, and we hope you’ll take a look through the event webpage and look at all the exciting classes and sessions available. The event committee has been working hard to ensure there are classes and activities to fit all skill levels, as well as everything from individual ringers to full choirs. I’ll be going as an individual ringer…. Come ring bells with me! The deadline for early bird registration is less than a week away.
We were delighted to have Linda Onorevole, the new chair of Handbell Musicians of America, join our board meeting on Friday. Her background is in musical non-profit boards, but not handbells. Linda reported that in preparing for her new position she watched quite a few YouTube videos, but nothing really prepared her for the experience of live handbells such as she was able to enjoy at Distinctly Bronze East. If you have never participated in a mass handbell choir, it’s one more reason to come to Red, White & Bells. There is nothing like the music created in a mass handbell environment to reach in and touch your soul.
Our next board meeting will be in June, details to follow. As always, if you have something you would like to present to or discuss with the board, or even better, would like to join the board, please reach out to any one of us.
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Next Area 12 Board Meeting (virtual): June 2022
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If you are having an event or concert in Area 12, you can have your event/concert posted on the Area 12 Website, even if you are not a member of HMA. Simply provide the information via our website link and we will get it posted to the Area 12 webpage. In addition, we periodically post on Facebook a What’s Up Area 12 posting listing the events.
As we come out of the pandemic let’s share what we are doing with each other and be inspired!
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to submit your event
for listing! (and get a social media push!)
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The National Guild has changed the way they do renewals, so be sure to check out all the membership options and benefits HERE.
Current Area 12
Member Count:
248
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Want to place
a classified ad?
Click on the
WANTED sign and
fill out the form!
Check out our
Classified Ads
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Order through Amazon? Make your purchases count when you shop AmazonSmile and select Area 12 as your nonprofit. |
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Happy Spring LA Metro,
As discussed in last month’s newsletter, I would greatly appreciate it if you would take just a few minutes to complete a survey that has been developed to gauge various factors that feed into what type of regional events are put on in the LA Metro Region. Don’t worry, if you are not from the LA Metro Region, you can complete the survey, I just ask that you truthfully indicate where you live (city and state). The survey will be open until at least through May 15th and I will share with you the results.
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Because we had to cancel Freedom to Ring, I am planning to have a “pick-up” rehearsal where folks going to conference can come and play the Red, White & Bell pieces with other ringers. I KNOW it is hard to prepare for conference without a full choir. But remember when the pandemic first started, and we said THERE IS NO WAY we can have a virtual choir? We did do it and I know you can!!!!
If you need anything, feel free to holler at me.
Sharon
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For information on LA Metro's concerts, events,
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For information on Northern Nevada concerts, events, and other opportunities, click here.
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Tintab is excited to be going to the Area 12 conference in Las Vegas! Because we have to prepare for both a solo concert and for the massed/division C ringing, we're going to have to do quite a bit of home practice to learn all the music. So, Tintab alum Elizabeth Eggleston and myself had a long lunch and came up with some focus points and ways to help us make our personal practice time more effective. Tintab liked and is using these ideas, so I thought it might be something other bell musicians might find useful. I'll share our practice and rehearsal goals next month. If you have some suggestions, please share! |
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Personal Practice Time
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Proper technique – stance, seat, stroke. Stand up straight and use your core. If you can’t see your music, find a solution; get more appropriate glasses, blow it up to a size you can see, write in your measure numbers so they’re larger, or memorize it.
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Know your set up. Write on your music and learn what you need and how you need to set up all your equipment – bells, chimes, music, page turns, mallets, etc. Stack the deck in your favor by being consistent and don’t waste rehearsal time by reinventing the wheel each time.
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Understand and use all markings on your music, both printed and handwritten.
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Identify goal(s) for this practice session. Briefly write it out – what measure(s), techniques, page turns, dynamics, etc.
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Do your own score study. Find alike and different patterns. If you can’t play something, then determine what is the most important, what you absolutely must play. Usually the melody, accidentals, and tempo changes are the most crucial. Also, subdividing and being on time (the clapper hitting the casting on the front side of the beat) is crucial to the ensemble staying together.
Rhythm Practice
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Isolate a phrase and practice clapping/tapping the rhythm of the whole phrase. It’s okay to start off at a slower tempo and then work up to the correct tempo.
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Isolate and clap/tap just your rhythm of just your notes while audiating (hearing in your head) the whole phrase.
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Physically ring your part in the air. (No bells!)
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Play your part with bells. If you do start at a slower tempo, be sure to also practice at the correct tempo even if it’s not perfect because your technique and kinesthetic memory will be different at the correct tempo.
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Transition into and out of the “hard part”.
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Adjust your technique to match your neighbors' (note that is plural!) and make it relative to the music – dynamics, melody, accompaniment, style, etc.
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TINTABULATIONS
presents
20th ANNUAL SIERRA SPRING RING
Saturday, May 14, 2022, 9:00-3:30
Sparks United Methodist Church
1231 Pyramid Way, Sparks, Nevada
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Massed pieces:
Into Your Kingdom by Joe Galyon, pub. Ringing Word (RW8271)
A Simple Dance arr. Michael Glasgow, pub. Choristers Guild
(CGB637 for 2-3 oct., CGB638 for 4-6 oct.)
We’ll also learn a short processional during the event.
Classes:
Bell Changes and Weaving, Bell Articulations and Chimes,
4-in-Hand, Healthy Ringing
Cost: $20/person due May 1st
We hope to see you there!
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Sierra Spring Ring is endorsed by Handbell Musicians of America, dedicated to uniting people through the musical art of handbell and handchime ringing. www.handbellmusicians.org
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A full-service handbell store
with music and accessories:
gloves • gifts
maintenance items
mallets • binders
bell tree items
Malmark products
visit us at
612-208-1741
877-426-3235
7209 Morgan Ave S
Richfield, MN 55423
ADVERTISEMENT 6/22
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2022 SoCal Spring Ring Canceled |
Unfortunately, we did not have enough registrations to hold our annual Spring Ring. We hope to see you all at Red, White & Bells in Las Vegas! |
For information on Southern California concerts, events, and other opportunities, click here.
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Our National Organization (click logos to get more info!) |
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The Twelfth Tone is published on or around the first of each month, except July, by Area 12 of the Handbell Musicians of America (The Guild). The Guild is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the musical art of handbell/handchime ringing through education, community, and communication. The editor of this publication reserves the right to reject or modify copy.
We have over 1600 contacts, a 40% open rate (17% higher than the industry average) and a 13% click rate. Book your ad NOW!
For advertising types and rates:
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Payment is due before publication. Submission DEADLINE is the 20th of each month. No issue in July.
Please submit your ads via email to:
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Teachers: Would you like the use of a three octave set of handbells or handchimes to add interest and a new dimension to your music class?
Area 12 encourages schools and other educational institutions, both public and private, to develop educational programs using handbells and handchimes.
To support the development of such programs, Area 12 has six 3-octave sets of handbells and three 3-octave sets of handchimes for loan.
To learn more about the responsibilities and procedures for participating in this program, click here.
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Elected Officers
Chair
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Chair Elect
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Past Chair
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Treasurer
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Secretary
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We have an open position for
Area 12 Historian. Love scrapbooking? Taking pictures? Learning from and sharing information with other ringers? This might just be the job for you! Contact Kendra if you want to know more about this position.
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Appointed Officers
Communications
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Education
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Events
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Historian
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Membership
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Social Media
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Webmaster
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Vendor Liaison
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Regional Coordinators
Central California
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Far Northern California Liaison
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Hawaii
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Los Angeles Metro
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Northern California
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Northern Nevada
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San Francisco Bay Area
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Southern California
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Southern Nevada
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