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Volume 15 • Issue 2 • Spring 2022
Happy Spring!! It’s so wonderful to see all the daffodils & tulips starting to sprout. Although I know we will still have snow in Colorado this week. Only a few more weeks until our busy Holy Week at church! So many services & so many bells!In the last few weeks, Area 11 has had two wonderful event return – Utah Spring Ring & Northern Colorado (NOCO). We had a grand time with our clinicians – Dave Harris & Brenda Austin! We are so very blessed and thankful to return to these traditional events. It was exciting to ring again with our handbell family and make new friends.
We still have the Wyoming Spring Ring coming up on May 6-7 in Casper with Michael Glasgow! Registration is still open.
This is also an ELECTION year for Area 11 Chair-Elect & Secretary-Treasurer! Voting will be held electronically via HMA services. We are still in need of nominees. Contact myself, Anne Kleve if you are interested in serving and joining our board!
And of course…. Area 11 FESTIVAL – Ringing Up 2022. Registration is still open and we’d love you to come! Music is a lifelong learning experience and handbells are always evolving. Come by yourself or make it a friends-family trip to Tempe, AZ this June. We will have a wonderful clinician- Ellie Hodder to lead our mass ringing and multiple teachers to run workshops. Our daily concerts are always a delight to enjoy. We look forward to seeing you there!
Chiming In – Paige Erickson
After I had been ringing for a few years, I felt like I needed to share my love of handbells and give something back. I started by looking into the possibility of teaching a chime choir at the elementary school my kids attended. The principal was supportive and said go ahead.
But I didn’t have any chimes and didn’t have any money to buy them.
Area 11 CHIME loan was created for that exact purpose.
Did you know that the Handbell Musicians of America Area 11 owns several 3 octave sets of handchimes that are available for loan for a full school year? We’ve loaned them to teachers, church music programs, school music programs, even home school programs.
If you are interested in starting a choir or using handchimes with an existing group, please apply. If you have friends that teach music or you think would be interested in borrowing one of our sets, please have them apply. They may not know that we have this amazing resource available.
This program is FREE. At the end of the year, we hope that the borrowers would want to continue their program and look for funding or donations to buy their own set of chimes, but there is no obligation.
Check it out at here and please share this information with your friends!
I ended up borrowing a set of chimes, and at the end of the year, the parents and others helped me raise enough money to buy our own 3 octave set of chimes, and our school is now in it’s 9th year of enjoying a chime choir.
Here are a few things you have to look forward to at our Area 11 Ringing Up ‘22!:
1. The chance to be taught and ring under the direction of Ellie Hodder, our guest clinician! If you haven’t read her bio yet, do so here! Then at the conclusion of our festival, the wonderful opportunity to present a concert to the public!
2. Multi-level classes offered such as 4-in-hand, bass bell ringing, solo ringing, and small ensemble ringing! We listened to previous teachers on this! For example, if you’ve always wanted to try 4-in-hand ringing, you can attend the class for beginner 4-in-hand. If you’re an experienced 4-in-hand ringer but would like to improve and learn new tips to help become a better 4-in-hand ringer, you can attend the class for beyond beginners. That’s the general idea with the multi-level classes!
3. Wonderful concerts given throughout the festival!
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- The Thursday evening opening night concert will be presented by handbell soloist Michael Kastner!
- There will be a lunchtime concert on Friday presented by The 12 Bells of Joyful Sound, a small ensemble from the Bells of Joyful Sound.
- The Saturday lunchtime concert will be presented by handbell soloist Christine Anderson!
- Our Saturday evening concert will be presented by Sonoran Bells following the Ring of Fame Banquet.
4. The Ring of Fame Banquet honoring an amazing member of Area 11. You can learn more about the Ring of Fame award here.
5. More fabulous classes for everyone, including directors! Classes on conducting, concert planning, bell assignments, weaving, complex rhythms, malleting, proper technique, your ringing presentation to the audience, handbell maintenance classes, and more!
6. Amazing music in our repertoire for each Ringing Up Track and the Mass Ringing sessions! Repertoire Lists
7. Spending the days with your fellow handbell ringers, making new friends, seeing old ones! Everyone Ringing Up together!
8. Last, but not least, the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel! They have a super convenient airport shuttle! They have a beautiful pool! They have their famous chocolate chip cookies! If you need to book your room, use this convenient booking link!
You will have Friday Free Time on Friday evening after the final rehearsal of the day! You’ll be able to spend the evening having dinner “on your own” but hopefully with friends! And then whatever your heart desires or delights! Just be ready to get back at it on Saturday morning! 😀
More Events
May 6-7, 2022 – Wyoming Spring Ring
Two days with clinician Michael Glasglow, brings ringers together for a mass-ringing event in Casper, Wyoming.
Find out more on the Wyoming Spring Ring Page
September 2022 – Ringers Roundup
Would you like to host or teach at this year’s Ringers Roundup? Contact Nancy Roberts-Small to volunteer.
Area 11 Events Page
Area 11 Bulletin Board
Malmark Chimes for Sale - Arizona
6 Octave Malmark Chimes for Sale in Tucson, AZ – Contact Margi Zearly for more information
Benefit Concert - Glendale, AZ
Las Palomas del Norte Handbell Ensemble presents
Promise of Hope Benefit Concert
April 29th and 30th, 2022
An immersive musical experience celebrating irrepressible hope, infectious love, resilient faith, and unfailing trust, this concert is designed to travel the road from despair to hope to remind ourselves that we are not overcome by the challenges of the last few years. We live in the promise of Hope.
100% of ticket proceeds got to support Thrive Arizona, serving at-risk children, youth, and families
Schulmerich Bells for Sale - Utah
3-octave set of Schulmerich bells in great condition with cases, library of music, and additional accessories available for sale in Centerville, Utah – Contact mail for more information.
Joy in the Journey – LeAnna Wilmore
I used this phrase often when I was teaching high school students in choir and bells. The performance is just a moment in time. It is there and then it is gone. But the rehearsal has the challenging work and growth of the musician. The most magical moments happened in the rehearsal and preparation for the performance. It also has the memories. When I think back to those times, I remember the rehearsals, the students, and all the fun times we had. It brings immense joy to me.
It is the same with the Bells at Temple Square rehearsals. We have so much fun and joy when we are working together. And I mean working. Our music is challenging. Each ringer changes positions many times during our set and we play level 4, 5 and 6 repertoire.
Knowing this… what is happening in your rehearsals? Do the ringers feel appreciated? Even if there is a ringer that is not as technically proficient as the music requires? Do all ringers leave the rehearsal feeling challenged and that they have had a valuable experience? Do they look forward to coming back for the next rehearsal?
I started my degree in music when it was “cool” to be intimidating and call students out in front of their peers. I soon learned that, although students could survive in that environment, and it did make for very precise performance groups, it did not set the stage to make beautiful, warm, and joy filled music. Let’s have high expectations with kindness and encourage each individual to bring with it warmth and joy.
Take some time to review your bell choir rehearsals whether as a ringer or as a conductor. How can you adjust your role to contribute to the Joy in the Journey?
LeAnna Willmore, Chair-Elect, Area 11
News from National
International Symposium
Join friends from near and far at the 2022 International Symposium in Nashville, Tennessee!
Upcoming Board Meetings
April 9th – 9am MST
May 14th – 9am MST
June 4th – 9am MST
Newsletter Archive
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Want to share an exciting experience or tips and tricks with our handbell community?
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