Greetings Handbell Musicians.

     We have received some feedback that the registration materials for the upcoming event in Yakima are confusing. I can certainly understand the concerns since even the registration form I turned in for my own groups had an error. With this year's event, one of our goals was make it more flexible, providing registration options which are more suitable to an individual or a partial choir while still accommodating full handbell choirs in attendance. This additional flexibility in our format has necessitated a need for some changes in the registration process which are arguably a bit more complex than we're used to seeing with most events.

     We do not want a complicated registration process to deter anyone from participating in the event, so we are going to make a few accommodations. First, we have decided to extend the early bird registration deadline to May 1st. We recognize that when participating as a group, it can sometimes take a week or two to collect the requested information from everyone, and may need some extra time to send in your registration. Second, we have a few volunteers from the Board who are offering to accept email or phone calls to answer any questions you have about the registration process. Their contact info is listed at the end of this article. Lastly, I am providing an FAQ which may address some of the concerns you may have.

Q: Which registration form should I fill out?

A: If you are registering as a full choir or wish to participate in a Tins/Coppers/Bronze/Youth ringing division, you should complete the Ringing Track Registration Form. If you are coming as an individual or partial choir with the intent of participating in classes only, you should complete the Classes Only Registration Form. For completing the payment section of either form, use the early-bird price of $220 until May 1.

Q: Am I required to pre-register for every class, or can I choose my classes after I arrive?

A: The answer to this question depends on which classes you choose to take. New to the event this year are 3-hour classes, giving you an opportunity to spend an extended period of time on the class topic. These 3-hour sessions require pre-registration since we have established a limit to the number of participants for each these classes. We are also offering 75-90 minute class sessions which are more consistent with what has been offered at previous events. These shorter sessions do not require pre-registration. A listing of all the classes we plan to offer is listed here.

Q: What housing / lodging options are available?

A: We have secured room blocks with a conference rate at the Red Lion, Howard Johnson, and Hilton Garden Inn. Please make your reservations by May 25th since after that date, the hotels may release the room block and the conference rate may not apply. Additional lodging information is available here.

Q: Does everyone participate in the Hallelujah Chorus performance, or is it just limited to six handbell choirs?

A: Everyone participating in the Massed Ringing on Sunday is encouraged to participate in the Hallelujah Chorus performance. The work has parts for six bell choirs, each of which will be played by multiple bell choirs.

Q: How do I find my Guild membership number?

A: There are a few options: (1) Find your most recent copy of the Overtones. Your number will be printed on the mailing label. (2) Sign in with your account at http://handbellmusicians.org. You can find your account number by clicking on the "Members only" tab and then choosing "My Account/Renew". (3) Contact our Membership Chair, Ann Pomazal at [email protected].

Additional information including a grid of when ringing tracks and classes are offered, is available here.

If you have additional questions or need help with your registration, please feel free to contact:

• Brian Tervo, Area 10 Chair - [email protected] - 206-713-6103

• Phyllis Tincher, Registrar - [email protected] - 208-989-2811

• Diane Barnes, Area 10 Chair Elect - [email protected] - 541-708-0365

• Jennifer Vangolen, Washington Chair - [email protected] - 206-931-7669

• Shosh Meyer, Oregon Chair -
  [email protected] - 503-574-2712

A while back, while searching for something handbell-related online, I stumbled across someone's old blog post that read: "Handbells? You'll never convince me it takes more than a crash course in hand-eye coordination and rudimentary music reading to participate. I was even in a service one day where the music pastor invited the congregation to join the 'Ding-a-lings' (I'm not making this up) even if they have no experience. Hmm." His conclusion? "Hell is for handbells." (The entire post can be found at http://theparish.typepad.com/parish/2004/12/hell_hell_is_fo.html.)

     As a handbell musician, I have great respect for those who play, conduct, and compose for our instrument, at any ability level. But the above blog post got me thinking about all the negative comments I've heard from non-handbell players over the years. In a book I once read on composer Arvo P�rt's tintinnabuli ("bell-like") compositional style, the author went out of his way to express distaste for handbell choirs. A few years ago, when handbells were featured on the television show "New Girl," the lead character commented that "handbells aren't the coolest instrument in the world; they might not even be the fifth coolest." I once heard Andy Stanley, a megachurch pastor and author whom I respect, go into a full-on rant at a conference about how much he hates handbell choirs. And at a recent festival, clinician Michael Glasgow told about a conversation he'd had with a professional flutist in which he asked if she had ever played handbells. Her response? "I don't do pink and blue notes."

    Sometimes I wonder if we ourselves are part of the problem. When we refer to ourselves as "ding-a-lings" (or allow others to do so), does it give the impression that those who play our instrument are not capable of a high level of artistry? When we go too far with incorporating goofy props, cheesy costumes, or silly choreography into our performances, does it make it difficult for others to take us seriously? When we say well-intentioned things like, "If you can count to four, then you can play handbells," does it give people the impression that handbells are only for beginners?

     It's important for us to be aware that many professional musicians consider handbells the lesser stepchild of the musical world, and that even among those in the non-musical population, we have something of an image problem. While it's true that we can't all be Sonos, or Vivace, or the Raleigh Ringers, we can all do our best to expose others to the artistry which handbell musicians are able to achieve, and to speak of our instrument and ourselves in a way that commands respect. Let's work towards a world in which we're constantly hearing, "You play handbells? That is so amazing!"