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Volume 18 • Issue 1 • New Year 2025
Notes from the Chair
Happy New Year 2025!
We’re one month in, and this year is already off to a grand start! We’ve got some very exciting events happening in the next few months that you won’t want to miss! Our next upcoming event is our annual Read & Ring, where handbell ringers will join together to sight read various levels and genres of music that are available for purchase at the event without the cost of shipping. The point of this event is to not only bring ringers together and support our handbell businesses, but also to help you financially by saving on the shipping costs! This is just one of many ways that Area 11 gives back to our wonderful handbell community! This event was formerly known as Super Bell Saturday and Sight Reading Saturday. Moving forward, we will be referring to it as Read & Ring, since that’s what we do… read the music and ring!
Following our February Read & Ring, we have our State Spring Ring in all five of our Area 11 States! This is an incredible opportunity to work with exceptional clinicians from around the United States! From March to May, these Spring Rings are happening in each state. Our Spring Ring Chairs work hard to make sure each event is accessible, educational, and fun. You don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to ring with new people, network with local musicians, and learn from an amazing clinician! Our events always accept individual ringers, so if you want to ring, come and join us! No ensemble, membership, or experience needed!
After our Spring Ring, we have our biennial Area 11 Ringers Camp from June 8 – 12, 2025 at Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby, Colorado. This event features two internationally renowned clinicians: Sandra Eithun and Mitchell Eithun. This 5-day, 4-night event is an extraordinary opportunity to do plenty of ringing, outdoor activities, and bonding with an amazing group of handbell musicians. The repertoire is exquisite, with a fitting nature theme for a fully encompassing experience! The registration deadline is April 30, so reserve your spot today!
Our board has been working hard, but we could always use help! If you have ideas, suggestions, questions, knowledge, advice, we would love to hear from you! Putting on these events is no small feat. Either big or small, we need your help! If you’re ever interested in hosting, organizing, serving on the board, or helping, please reach out! All of our board members would love to hear from you. We always welcome volunteers and are open to new ideas! We want to do whatever we can to expand handbell and handchime ringing in our 5 states. The only way to do that is with your help!
As we continue into the new year, I hope you take time to register and participate in one of these amazing events.
Saturday, February 8, 2025 – Areawide Read & Ring/Sight Reading Saturday
Saturday, March 1, 2025 – Arizona Spring Ring featuring Alex Guebert and Erik Der
Saturday, March 8, 2025 – New Mexico Spring Ring featuring Marquise Usher
Saturday, March 8, 2025 – Utah Spring Ring featuring Kathryn Jurado
Saturday, March 22, 2025 – Colorado Spring Ring featuring Matthew Compton
May 16-17, 2025 – Wyoming Spring Ring featuring Cathy Moklebust
June 8 – 12, 2025 – Area 11 Ringers Camp featuring Sandra Eithun and Mitchell Eithun
Love and Bells,
Anne Kelley
Upcoming Events
10 Reasons to Come to Camp
- Make new friends
- Have fun ringing
- Two top-notch clinicians
- Small group workshops
- Improving sight-reading skills
- Summer tubing hill
- Swimming & hiking
- S’mores by the campfire
- Mountain views
- Colorado sunshine
Read & Ring Cancellations
Read & Ring has been canceled at the following locations:
Flagstaff, AZ- Flagstaff Federated Community Church
Thornton, CO- Summit of Peace Lutheran Church
Colorado Springs, CO- Sunrise United Methodist Church
Albuquerque, NM- Central United Methodist Church
Sundance, WY- Court House Community Room
Spring Ring- Registration Deadlines Approaching!
Location: Jordan High School, 95 Beetdigger Blvd, Sandy, UT 84070
Clinician: Kathryn Jurado
Saturday, March 8, 2025
Contact: [email protected]
Colorado Spring Ring– Registration Deadline March 8
Heights Cumberland Presbyterian Church
8600 Academy Rd., Albuquerque, NM 87111
Clinician: Marquise Usher
Saturday, March 8, 2025
Bulletin Board
Malmark Chimes for Sale - Arizona
6 Octave Malmark Chimes for Sale in Tucson, AZ – Contact Margi Zearly for more information
ISO: Director for Community Handbell Director - Denver, CO
Smithtonians Handbell Ensemble is in search of a new Director beginning fall of 2024, for our group of 13+ dedicated ringers, playing five octaves. The ensemble, composed of auditioned ringers with multiple years of experience, was founded 40 years ago and has performed primarily in the south Denver Metro area to a wide range of audiences. We have concert seasons in early December and early May, with weekly rehearsals excluding the summer months. We play a variety of pieces from our extensive library, from the classics to contemporary to the eclectic. Education of the audience, in not only the techniques of ringing handbells, but also imparting the traditions and love of ringing, is a meaningful part of our mission. Contact Maribeth McKenna at [email protected].
ISO: Director for Church Ensemble in Johnstown, CO
The United Methodist Church of Johnstown, CO is seeking a handbell director starting this fall. Rehearsals are Wednesdays 6-7 PM and the group typically plays 2 pieces in worship the 3rd Sunday of each month as well as one service on Christmas Eve.
Please contact the church at 970-587-4444 or [email protected].
ISO: Director for Church Ensemble in Salt Lake City, UT
Our handbell choir of 12 people needs a new director! We rehearse on Monday nights 7-8:30 and play in church on the third Sunday morning of the month from September through May, We have 5 octaves of bells and a fun group. The church is at 17th and 17th. There is a stipend for this position. Interested? Please call Lisa Vitkus @ 216-965-5605 or email at [email protected].
ISO: Ringers at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Sandy, UT
Have you been looking for a bell choir? Well, we’re looking for you! We’re a church choir located in Sandy, Utah, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. We have all levels of experience some members have been part of the choir for over 15 years, others just 5. We usually ring L2+ -L3 pieces with a 12 ringer ensemble, but we’ve shrunk! Due to illnesses, moving out of the area, and retirements, we now have a 7-member choir. We have five octaves of bells, and three of chimes. Right now we’re preparing 2-octave material for Christmas but we yearn to get back to those full-bodied songs! Our 4 and 5 octaves of bells are feeling abandoned! Please help us let our bells know we love them and want to get them singing again! We practice at the church every Monday, from 6 – 7:15 pm. Ages 14 and up, with the ability to read music are welcome! Please call Kate McGuire at (925) 435-0096 and leave a message with your name and number. Or call Good Shepherd at (801) 255-8181.
Looking forward to ringing in 2025 with you!
Kate
Area 10 Composition Contest
Area 10 is hosting a 2025 Bell Tree Composition Contest for Bell Tree Plus Handbell Choir. There is an award of $1,500 and the deadline is 5/31/2025. Check out the Area 10 page for more information: https://area10.handbellmusicians.org/2025-bell-tree-composition-contest/
Board Member Spotlight
Shirley Culp: CHIME Loan Coordinator
Shirley, from Centennial, CO, is retired, and loves chocolate! She started playing handbells when she was ten years old.
Anne Kleve: Events Chair and Camp Coordinator
Anne lives in Thornton, CO. She loves pork chops and beer, and she grew up owning horses and riding competitively. She is a juggling master, and she owns Notable Vacation Rentals. She believes handbells can be rung by ANY age! Music is a lifelong skill. It provides healing comfort to us as musicians and to our audiences.
CHIME Loan Program
NO JOKE, we have chimes to loan. If you know someone that is interested in starting a chime choir, or maybe you’d like to try that yourself, we can help! Area 11 has several sets of handchimes to loan. Just head over to our CHIME Loan Program page and fill out an application!
“The chimes have brought people together, young and old, with laughter and purpose at our church and we are so grateful!”
– Sue McConnell, Faith Lutheran Church, Woodland Park, CO
Learn!!
2025!! New year! New experiences! New challenges! New opportunities for handbell musicians to learn from each other!
Looking back, my first experience with handbells was more than 50 years ago when my mother, director of music in our church, was asked to start a handbell choir in rural Maine. A generous parishioner made an anonymous donation specifically for forming a choir with three octaves of handbells. The challenge was a big one and the learning curve was steep, but my high school friends and other eager congregants were game! Fifty years later, at least one original ringer and the same three octaves of bells played Amazing Grace for my mom’s celebration of life in August. The choir has indeed made a lasting impact.
Over the years, techniques have evolved, equipment in addition to bells is commonplace, repertoire is new and exciting, composers and arrangers are pioneering innovative concepts, new events are being held all over the world; and handbell musicians are continuously learning.
As a member of Handbell Musicians of America, these are just a few of the lessons I have learned over the years:
We’re all in this together. Handbell musicians are always experimenting with new techniques and exploring new music. Working together makes us a more productive team.
Handbell “gurus” are approachable. We can learn so much from experts who are happy to help. Just ask them.
Your tablemates are valuable sources of information and assistance. If you need help with a tricky measure, malfunctioning equipment, or finding your place in the music, your neighbors are now your best friends.
Handbell events aren’t just “same thing, different day”. State, regional, national, and international events are more plentiful and accessible than ever before. Attend one or more to see for yourself.
You can function outside your comfort zone. Try a new position in your ensemble (like low bass). Tackle a higher level of music. Meet new people. Travel to areas of the country or the world you haven’t visited before. Invite a friend to explore and learn with you.
To celebrate the new year, connect with members of your ensemble, LEARN something new, and find opportunities to engage with fellow handbell musicians. Make a New Year’s Resolution to learn from your colleagues and mentors. Explore the benefits of HMA membership and commit to joining our professional organization. You can start the new year by registering for one of the Area 11 Spring Ring events:
• Arizona Spring Ring, March 1 REGISTRATION DEADLINE: February 15
• New Mexico Spring Ring, March 8
• Utah Spring Ring, March 8 REGISTRATION DEADLINE: February 25
• Colorado Spring Ring, March 22
• Wyoming Spring Ring, May 24-25 (2 days)
Check out the Area 11 website (https://area11.handbellmusicians.org/) for details about and registration information for these events.
In addition, the Handbell Musicians of America website (https://handbellmusicians.org/) provides information about many other exciting ways to LEARN from your fellow handbell musicians. These are opportunities through February:
• Snake River Handbell Conference, Nampa ID, February 7-8
• Northern Illinois Winter Workshop, Rockford IL, February 8
• Sight Reading Saturday 2025 (AZ, CO, NM, UT, WY) February 8
• More than a Metronome – Director’s Workshop, Walnut Creek CA, February 8
• SpRingfest, Kirkwood MO, February 21-22
• Distinctly Bronze East, New Bern, NC, February 27 – March 2
All of us look forward to learning together with you soon!
Lynne Storms
Chair Elect
Handbell Musicians of America Area 11
Joyfully Ring!
News from National
Pinnacle places its primary emphasis on the performance elements of handbell artistry. The event also focuses on the organization and maintenance of various types of ensembles. While Pinnacle may have had its beginnings as an event designed primarily for Community Ensembles, it is important to know that Pinnacle 2025 is for all people who perform with handbells – ringers, directors, church groups, professional ensembles, community groups, soloists, school groups, and more. Hear ten musician showcases by ensembles from the United States and abroad, attend nine classes over three days, visit handbell and musical businesses in Handbell Commons, attend a lunch banquet with award presentations, and spend time with fellow handbell musicians.
Upcoming Board Meetings
March 2, 2025, 7:00pm EDT
Contact Chair for meeting information
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