The Newsletter of Area 1 Handbell Musicians of America | Vol. XXXIX No. 1 | February 2024 | |
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IN THIS EDITION:
- Report from the Board Chair
- Notice of upcoming Area 1 Board Meetings
- Winter Workshop 2024 Recap
- Friends and Family Handbell Camp Returns This June!
- Festival Conference 2025: Clinicians, Venue and Dates Announced
- Notes from State and Regional Chairs
- Please be sure to scroll down to see - and support - our advertisers
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NOTICE FOR GMAIL USERS: There's lots of great things happening in Area 1! So much so that Gmail can't show you everything in one email. Many Gmail users have noticed (and perhaps some of you haven't noticed) that our newsletter gets cut off at the bottom. You must click "view entire message" at the bottom of this email in order to read the full newsletter.
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National Seminar is coming to Area 1 this year!
This statement caused SO much excitement and my own personal anxiety. All eyes are on Area 1. It feels like a big target painted on my head as the leader of our board. While National handles all of the registrations and behind the scenes organization, we definitely pitch in some local help. A huge thank you to our local liaison, Area 1 webmaster and Shoreline Ringers' own Pete Larson who is helping to coordinate the efforts! For my part, I’d love to see as many of the amazing Area 1 ringers as possible register and attend this event. But it also occurs to me that you may have never been to National and therefore don’t understand the magic you will miss if you don’t go this year. What follows are 10 reasons to go, this year specifically.
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The classes! Since instructors hail from all over the country, you'll expand your knowledge as you learn from some really incredible handbell minds. There are classes for everyone, no matter what you know and where you are in your journey. I’ve taken crafty classes like painting the bells that hang in my craft room, I've learned how to play the cajon, and talked to knowledgeable experts on topics like fundraising and running an excellent rehearsal.
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Travel! While this year’s seminar is so close to home in Hartford, you could grab a handbell friend and make a fun side trip on the way down or back. I’m going to stop for coffee at Willoughby’s!
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The concerts! National Seminar offers several full length concerts so you can enjoy some of the best ringing in the country. I’ve seen really cool things like a concert with electric instruments added, small ensembles, children’s groups, concerts with sing-along elements, costuming, and a group of developmentally disabled adults ring.
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Scholarships are available! If you need financial assistance, check out our scholarship page on the Area 1 website.
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Single Day and Commuter options are available! Going for part of seminar is a really great way to dip your toe in the water or work around your busy schedule. Consider one of these options if you’re curious or have other responsibilities.
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Hang out with the best people ever! You already know that handbell people are the best people. Now you can expand your friendship base. Because of seminar I have personal invites to visit my buddy in Hawaii and stay at her place; I've made amazing friends who I can call for help anytime; and I've met people who do the same jobs in handbells that I do who were willing to share ideas with me.
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You don’t have to pay for the flight or go through TSA! Hartford is well within driving distance, so you’re saving at least $400 and several hours of waiting in the airport. You’re welcome.
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The Vendor Hall! Handbell vendors from all over gather to sell handbell items in what can only be described as Handbell Heaven. You can visit them for a discount, save on shipping, or get your favorite director a gift! From art to apparel to gloves, music, and handbells - you’ll find it all in the vendor hall!
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Meet your handbell heroes! Last year we played a fun game to find as many composers as possible. I got to tell Ron Mallory that my group LOVED his arrangement of Eternal Father Strong to Save. We had a great discussion about it and our conversation inspired him to write more pieces for beginning groups.
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Share the JOY! I guarantee you’ll have an amazing experience and leave with lots of amazing skills and ideas to bring back home with you. Added bonus: you'll carry the pride and joy of being an Area 1 handbell musician.
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 May 18.
If you are interested in attending, please email Jenn Stack, Area 1 Chair.
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Winter Workshop 2024 Recap
January 26-27 at UMass Amherst
What an amazing weekend of ringing at UMass this past weekend! Thank you to all of the handbell musicians who made the trek to Amherst. There were interesting workshops, fabulous clinicians, plenty of networking and socializing, and of course, great music. Special thanks to our organizers, workshop leaders, soloists, equipment lenders, and clinicians Monica McGowan, Jane Nolan, and Andy Wallace.
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Scenes from Winter Workshop 2024: | |
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Friends and Family Handbell Camp
returns! June 21-23 at Camp Griswold
Don't miss your shot at ringing by the lake in Griswold, Connecticut this summer, as Family and Friends Handbell Camp returns to Area 1, June 21 through June 23.
Ringing tracks are available for Bronze (led by Andy Wallace), Coppers (led by Dan Moore), Tins (led by Gina Williams), and Never Rungs/Companions (led by Jenn Stack). All tracks will feature two pieces to polish and ring for the concert - there's no music to learn ahead of time.
It's everything summer camp should be - sunshine, swimming, s'mores, and of course, handbells!
Registration will open on February 15. Enjoy the early bird special rates for lodgers until March 8, but don't sleep on this deal because space is limited, and you DEFINITELY don't want to miss the fun and fellowship! Details will be available soon on the Area 1 Friends and Family Handbell Camp webpage.
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Notes from CONNECTICUT
Suzanne Neafus, Connecticut State Chair
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What a great time we had at the Winter Workshop last weekend. Seeing so many familiar faces was wonderful, and I enjoyed our time ringing together. If you took photos at the event, please consider sharing them. I would love to include a bunch in the next issue of the Fundamental Tone.
As spring comes nearer, so does the plethora of Area 1-sponsored events. It's heartwarming to see ringing opportunities available to all. And to top it off, July 2024 - National Seminar will take place at the Convention Center in Hartford.
It will come as no surprise, that I am most excited about the return of Connecticut Spring Ring. Read some details about the Saturday, April 20, 2024 event below. Registration is now open, and is available to single ringers, small groups, or full ensembles.
If you would like to help with this or future events, please get in touch with me. I am working on creating a planning committee to continue raising the engagement, education and encouragement of ringers throughout our state.
Best Wishes and Happy Ringing!
Suzanne Neafus
Connecticut State Chair
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Connecticut Spring Ring
WHEN: April 20, 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 is now open. Visit the Connecticut Spring Ring page to get started
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Notes from MAINE
Dana Humphreys, Maine State Chair
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Hello Maine Ringers!
It’s the middle of winter and your bell choirs have suddenly shrunk! Where is everyone? Let’s count the ways… Florida, ski vacations, snow storms, Christmas burn-out recovery, and the reliable cold/flu/Covid season. Fewer ringers? Don’t stop playing, play with fewer bells! There is a growing library of wonderful ensemble arrangements for eight and twelve bells. Do an internet search for "Small But Mighty: Settings for 12 Bells” for collections from Hope Publishing, J.W. Pepper, Jeffers Publishing and others by well-known arrangers such as Jason Krug, Brenda Austin and Joel Raney. And be sure to check out Choraegus.com for arrangements by Larry and Carla Sue. Ensemble ringing, as well as requiring fewer ringers and less set-up, is also an interesting and different challenge than full choir table arrangements.
I trust every bellringer in Maine knows that Maine Spring Ring will be held on Saturday, April 27, in
Auburn, and registration is now open. In addition to an exciting repertoire directed by nationally-known
director/composer Michael Joy and our own Area 1 director/composer Joy Toll-Chandler, we will also be offering workshops – Developing Rhythmic Feeling, Stop That Bell, African Drumming and Folding an
Origami German Bell. Come join the fun! For details and to register visit the Maine Spring Ring page.
Finally, I would like to extend a hearty congratulations to Leigh Smith of Camden, co-founder of Penobscot Bay Ringers, on her retirement from ringing. Introduced to bells in 1977 by one of the original Beacon Hill Handbell Ringers, Leigh rang and helped build handbell programs, first in Massachusetts and then in Maine for a total of 46 years. Leigh officially damped her bells for the last time in December 2023 after performing in Camden's Ringing in the Season holiday handbell concert, a charitable endeavor that she founded in 2006. Leigh will remain active on the board of directors for Penobscot Bay Ringers. We are so grateful for handbell champions like Leigh Smith. Thank you, Leigh!
See you at Maine Spring Ring!
Dana
Maine State Chair
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Happy February, everyone!
We have so much going on in our region!
On this Saturday, Feb. 3, we are pleased to host a Skill-Building Workshop in Concord, New Hampshire – the first NH workshop that has been offered in many years. As I write this article in mid-January, there are already 24 registrants for this event, coming from bell choirs all over New Hampshire. By the time you read this article, registration will have closed. I’m aware that this event was pulled together on such short notice that I wasn’t even able to tell you about it in the December FT issue – but if you’re sad to have missed it, don’t fear! Please contact me if you’re looking for more events near you; Area 1 is happy to provide more programming in the months ahead.
Meanwhile, registration is open for the 36th annual Massachusetts Spring Ring, coming right up
on April 6 in Tewksbury. This year’s clinician is Griff Gall, who serves as Artistic Director of
the Back Bay Ringers, and we have some terrific repertoire planned: please see all the details at
the link above. Also this event is retaining its historic title of “Massachusetts Spring Ring,” this
is absolutely the big spring event for our entire “Greater Boston MA/NH” region – and
Tewksbury is easily accessible from both I-495 and I-93. Whether you live in New Hampshire or
south of Boston, all of you within our region (and friends from beyond its borders) are strongly
encouraged to join us!
Even if I don’t see you in Concord in February or Tewksbury in April, I hope you’ll reach out
and let me know how Area 1 can best support your bell choir. Each of you is an important part of
what makes New England such a wonderful handbell community.
Until next time, happy ringing!
Abby Schoppe
Greater Boston, MA & New Hampshire Chair
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Hi, Cape Cod!
Are you getting excited for Cape Cod Spring Ring yet? March 16 is not very far away. We’re thrilled to have David Harris, Artistic Director of the Raleigh Ringers, as our clinician, but please note that registration closes on Feb. 15. Don’t forget to register for Cape Cod Spring Ring today!
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 today for Cape Cod Spring Ring!
I hope to see you in March! Until then, happy ringing!
Abby Schoppe
Cape Cod & Islands Chair
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Hello Western Massachusetts and Happy New Year!
I know the fanfare is now officially over but it’s never too late to make those New Year’s Resolutions! So why not welcome in 2024 with an eye toward all the great ringing you’re going to do, the amazing ringers you’re going to meet, and the awesome workshops you’re going to attend? Now there are some resolutions that will be FUN to accomplish.
My New Year’s Resolution is to make 2024 the year of YOU and I am already looking forward to all the things we’re going to do! But I need your help...so, I am asking you to tell me, what would you be interested in learning? Do you want to try 4-in-hand or you need practice in weaving? Maybe you want to try out small ensemble ringing? Or maybe you just want a chance to go back to basics?
Our fellow ringers at the Wilbraham United Church have graciously offered their location for a Western Massachusetts Spring Workshop. Thank you, Wilbraham United! So…everyone in Western Mass AND surrounding areas, mark your calendars for April 27th for what will definitely prove to be a fun-filled day of ringing with friends. Details are still being developed so keep your eyes open for an official announcement. In the meantime, what would make this an amazing workshop to look forward to? I'd love to hear your thoughts so we can start on those resolutions and make this an event that meets your and your groups’ needs and is fun for all attending.
Also, take a look at other area workshops and spring rings. There's a lot of great events going on in Area 1 and one just might be close enough for you.
Audrey Pierce
Western MA Chair
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Hello Rhode Island!
My name is Jill Langford Boday, and I am your new Rhode Island State Chair for Area1! I've heard it's been a while since this position was filled, so I'm here to offer my services. Attending the Area 1 Festival in June and the recent Winter Workshop last month solidified my return to handbells. I loved participating in Tins-level rehearsals and performances, admiring Copper-level groups, and being completely enamored with the jaw-dropping Bronze performances! I found the people involved in Area 1 to be so welcoming, helpful, and passionate about their musical art. I fell in love with it (again!).
I have been active in handbell ringing, off and on, since high school, ringing in my church choir, at Slatersville Congregational Church, which I now direct! We are a solid Tins-level choir, with a full complement of ringers. I would love to see us become more of a multi-generational ensemble. In fact, that's something I would like to support in Area 1: attracting and supporting more young people in the art of ringing! As a high school band director, I work with teenagers every day, creating musical moments. Music matters. It makes such a big difference in the lives of young people.
Although I am new to the position, I am not new to the artform! Please reach out to me with questions, ideas, or concerns, and I will help as best I can!
Here in the Ocean State, our spring ring is known as Rhode Island Ring-A-Palooza
Date: Saturday, April 13, 2024
Time: 9 AM-12 Noon
Location: Dunn's Corners Community Church, 221 Post Rd. (Route 1), Westerly, RI
Clinician: Jane Nolan
Registration will be opening soon!
I hope to see you there! Let's get Little Rhody ringing!
Jill Boday
Rhode Island State Chair
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