The Newsletter of Area 1 | Volume XXXVI No. 5 | October 2021
News for Handbell Musicians in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts,
New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont 
Notes from THE CHAIR
K. Joy Toll-Chandler
Chair, Area 1
chair.area1 @ handbellmusicians.org
Hello Area 1!
 
 Today was our Biennial meeting and the first meeting of the new Board. I'm excited to be stepping into the role as chair of Area 1 - the area where "it all began!" We have been so fortunate to have the leadership of Carlene and Lisa as our last 2 chairs (and of course all the others before that too - but I've had the privilege of working with these amazing women the last 2 years) - and I am especially grateful for their help in getting ready for the next two years......More
FESTIVAL CONFERENCE UPDATE
We have been planning for Festival Conference at the University of Hartford in June of 2022, with the understanding that we can hold it indoors, with the recommended COVID safety protocols that will be in place at that time. If you recall, it was this time last year that we had decided to postpone Festival Conference to 2022 because of the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. We all know that we’re not all completely out of the woods by now, and we still can’t predict how things will be in June of 2022. We’d like to find out from you what you’re comfortable with at this time if we move forward with holding F/C as planned. Please take a moment to complete this survey...Click here for full article and survey link
Notes from CONNECTICUT

Greetings –
Gina Williams recently resigned as co-state chair. It was a pleasure working with her for the past year and I appreciate all the hard work and effort she put into the position. Around the state, I am pleased to report that many of the groups that were forced to stop ringing in March 2020 are now starting to come back to play together. I am looking forward to seeing and hearing their progress in the months to come.Wednesday, September 22 will be Connecticut Day at the Big E. Thanks to the efforts of Steven Mazeau, handbell ringers will be part of the festivities. I am looking forward to being one of the 11 ringers will be doing a 45-minute performance of 3 octave music on that day. ....More
Notes from MAINE
Hello Maine Ringers!
I am excited to join you as the new Maine State Chair. While I’ve been ringing for over 14 years, being part of Area 1 is new to me and there is much to learn. However, in her eight years as state chair, Sue Evans developed a very well-organized table for me step up to, and I offer Sue a beautiful bell peal of thanks for everything she did for Maine bell ringers. I had the opportunity to meet Sue as an occasional substitute ringer with her choir at the Cumberland Congregational Church in 2019, and I am thankful for that.
Planning for Spring Ring 2022 (a.k.a, Spring Ring 2020 + 2) is well underway. I’ve had the pleasure and great fun in joining Planning Committee members Kim Visbaras, Debbie Hillman, Laura Begenwald, Gail Kelly and Amy Rollins as they rework the details for the event being held on Sat, March 26. Many details will be the same as for 2020. The location will be at the Auburn Middle School, Dan Moore and Kim Visbaras will return as directors,...More
Notes from MASSACHUSETTS



By the time this article is published, we will have already completed the Holiday Repertoire-Reading Workshop scheduled for Sept. 25 at St. Matthew’s in Acton. I am so glad to see the return of in-person ringing events!
We continue to look forward to offering the MA Spring Ring atTewksbury Memorial High School sometime in March or April 2022.
The exact date and repertoire (chosen from the 2022 Festival Conference selections) is still TBD, but we look forward to having Diane Burke as our clinician for this event.....More
Notes from NEW HAMPSHIRE
Hello, wonderful bell people, and welcome to Fall! We’re all very (very!) excited to be back at the tables and preparing for autumn’s church services, the Oktobellfest in Rhode Island, and holiday concerts, small and large. 
Of course back-to-school season means reports on how we spent our summers...The very second it got warm enough to ring outside last Spring, the Granite State Ringers convened in Director Joan Fossum’s driveway up in Concord. As we’d done for our holiday outdoor ringing, we split into two groups of six (to allow for social distancing, etc.), but very quickly realizing that we were all almost fully vaccinated, we clung together (it had been soooo long) for a double-sextet and prepared a summer “Americana” concert, including one for her neighborhood as a thank you for hearing us rehearsing in her garage/driveway for all but the coldest pandemic months....More
Notes from RHODE ISLAND"
Happy Fall 2021 to all
Finally it appears we are gathering at our tables to RING!!!
Some news from RI groups includes:
Wheeler School
After more than a year of remote teaching, hybrid classes, and heavily-overdubbed virtual "gigs," the Wheeler School Concert Handbell Ringers are finally back and better than ever! We are grateful to finally be able to gather together safely and make music for each other, and we're proud to share the gift of live music with all of you this holiday season. We hope you can join us at one of our upcoming (live!) performances, such as our annual winter concert at The Wheeler School (216 Hope Street, Providence, RI) on Friday,...More
Notes from VERMONT"
Vermont is hoping to host Spring Ring in April 2022 with Brian Childers as the clinician depending on the COVID-19 guidelines in January 2022. Watch for updates in early 2022! 
The repertoire is:                
-    Sleep in Heavenly Peace – Franz Gruber,
              Arranged by Brian Childers  Level 2+  
o   3-5 Octaves handbells with optional 2 octave hand chimes
       and optional flute or C instrument. MSF202008SF 
-    Acclamation in G Minor – Karen Thompson Level 2...More
Notes from CHIME LOANER PROGRAM
I hope that everyone is happy to be returning to bells and chimes this Fall! My groups are starting up again and it's great to be back!All of the chimes from 2019 have been returned to Area 1 and they were well-loved in their bonus year out! Two sets are currently on loan this year to an elementary school in Danvers, MA and to a boarding school in Waldoboro, ME...More
DAVID HARRIS RETURNS TO AREA 1!  
By Dan Moore 

With the coming of autumn, the New England Ringers are pleased to welcome David Harris, Artistic Director of the Raleigh Ringers, back to Rhode Island.
For many years, David has presented workshops, conducted Spring Rings and other events in Area 1. He returns this October as the massed conductor for OKTOBELLFEST, an all Area1 event sponsored by the New England Ringers.
We’re Back!..........at a lower price!!!
Winter Workshop
January 28-29, 2022
                                                                    
Are you looking forward to meeting your friends behind the bell table? Now is your chance. The Winter Workshop at UMass Amherst is planned for next January featuring two different ringing tracks, workshops, great meals and good fellowship.
                                                                                     
The New England Bronze ringing track will be directed by David Harris, director of The Raleigh Ringers. Repertoire for this track will be:
           Reverberations/Lloyd  Arr. by Fry (brand new-available soon)
           Reflections   Buckwalter  ( AG36022)
           Passion Prophecy    Moklebust   (CGB584)
The Beyond Basics Before Bronze ringing track will be directed by Diane Burke and Larry Berdensey. The repertoire for this track will be:
           Toccata on King’s Weston by Compton Agape/Hope Publishing
            Kyrie by Moklebust MCGB480

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Fundamental Tone is a publication of the Handbell Musicians of America Area 1.
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