In my article last month, I discussed outside performances, and ways to prepare enough music for a full concert program.  This month, I will discuss how to evaluate and select a performance venue.

     Perhaps the most obvious consideration when selecting a venue is the amount of space available.  We all know that handbell tables occupy a great deal of space and many folks who are unfamiliar with our instrument really have no idea how much space we require.  When first contacting the venue, you should already have a good idea of how much space you'll need.  In addition to table length, depth is important, ensuring there is enough space behind the tables for the ringers and that there is enough space in front of the tables for the director.  For some venues, you may need to consider changing your table configuration to/from a "U", a single row, or two rows.  If you need to switch to two rows, figure out ahead of time which positions split each row and plan ahead of time for bells or music shared between these two ringing positions.

     Once your venue tells you how much space is available, it is a good idea to visit the venue to see the space for yourself.  I recommend bringing a tape measure and observe any other obstacles.  The venue may provide dimensions that should work, but when visiting, you may find that things like a curved wall or stage apron, steps, furniture, or other items in the performance area.  This would also be the best time to work with the venue toward mitigating any problems associated with these obstacles.  For example, if there is furniture in the way, can it be moved?  If so, who is going to move it?  In most cases, the venue will want you to move stuff around and ensure everything is put back when you finish.  However, there are places where they will want to move everything either due to a union contract or because of their insurance policy.

     Another thing to observe during your visit is the acoustics.  While it's impossible to know everything before your group arrives, there are a few things you can check.  The best situation would be for the performance area to have a reasonably low ceiling and a shell behind you.  With good acoustics, the ringers will easily be able to hear each other and the sound will project into the audience.  If you have a high ceiling or curtains (like a typical high school stage used for a play), expect challenges for the ringers hearing each other.  Another factor is reverb.  If it is a particularly live room, the sound may bounce of the back wall and back to the ringers' ears a second or two after the chord is played.  Another acoustical challenge with a live room is that stopped techniques (especially mallets and marts) are amplified even more than normal.  A group can prepare for many of these things in rehearsal ahead of time, and there is no substitute for scheduling ample warm-up time at the venue if you expect the acoustics to be particularly challenging.

     Lighting is another important thing to check when visiting a venue.  Have your host show you various lighting options for both the performance area and the audience, and decide whether or not the ringers are going to require stand lights.  Consider the time of day for your concert when making this decision.  In addition to assuming things will be darker for evening concerts, also consider where sunlight will be coming from if the concert is during the day.  I have been in performance situations where some folks in the group were unexpectedly blinded by sunlight.

     The last piece of advice I have is for your group to be flexible.  No matter how much you prepare, you may encounter an unexpected situation on the concert date.  In terms of space, I cannot tell you how many times I've had to make adjustments to deal with a Christmas tree which wasn't setup when I visited the venue.  In addition to a Christmas tree, one of the concert venues I had my youth choir perform at this past Christmas was setup for a large dinner, and there were a couple tables set with linens where I had planned to stand and direct.  In terms of acoustics, be prepared to make some adjustments since no matter how well you predict the way bells will sound in the room, you will never know for sure how the room will react until the group starts ringing.  For lighting, it never hurts to pack stand lights even if you don't anticipate needing them.  The best way to deal with potentially stressful situations prior to a concert is to just accept the fact that something unexpected will take place and to arrive far enough ahead of your scheduled performance time to react and make the appropriate adjustments.