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Greetings!
Fall is here and a lot of work has taken place over the summer! I hope that you were able to rejuvenate to prepare for the fall season. What did that look like for you? For me, I participated in our area conference, Go Nuts with Area 12 in Modesto, and I participated in the National Seminar. At both events, I was an able to learn new things to take back to my choirs. I was also able to get excited about new music that has surfaced. One of the gems I am taking back to my school program is composing in the classroom. Kathleen Wising led a fantastic class at National Seminar about this. I didn't do as much actual ringing as I have in past summers, but I learned a lot about healthy ringing.
One of the things that I was reminded of this summer that I would like to pass on is don't be afraid to lean on others around you for ideas, advice, or support. Handbell Musicians of America is a unique organization in which people genuinely want to help other people be successful in the art of handbell ringing. It doesn't matter if you are a composer, conductor, or ringer. There are people in our community that are able and willing to support you!
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Area 12 has a number of fall events happening. Please check out the calendar to see if there is an event near you that you can participate in.
As always, do not forget that your board is here for you to lean on. Please reach out to us with questions, comments, concerns, advice, or just to say hi!
Happy Ringing!
Marci
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Secretary’s Report
It’s not too late to sign up for the youth event, Bellz, The Next Generation. We are excited to welcome Greig Ashurst as our clinician at Concordia University, the evening of Friday, Sept 27 and all-day Saturday, Sept 28th. Individual youth (6th through 12th grade) are welcome, as well as full choirs. In addition to being on our HMA national board, Greig is a teacher, and works with kids full time. The attendees will love him! Please find more information on our website at https://area12.handbellmusicians.org/bellztng-2024
Our next board meeting will be the weekend of September 14th and 15th, details will be available on our calendar. As always, if you have something you would like to present to or discuss with the board or have something you would like included on the agenda, please reach out to any one of us.
Sincerely,
Carol Pickford
Area 12 Secretary
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to submit YOUR event!
(and get a social media push!)
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Check out all the membership options and benefits for Handbell Musicians of America HERE.
Current Area 12
Member Count:
188
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Want to place
a classified ad?
Click on the
WANTED sign and
fill out the form!
Check out our
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Take advantage of the Area 12 website to publicize your group. Click here to list your group or soloist. (Looking for a community group or soloist to play for an event, see the list here.)
Have an upcoming concert? Submit it here or use the calendar link above.
Need a ringer? Need a director? Have extra equipment; need equipment? Submit it here or use the wanted link above.
Questions? Please contact the webmaster.
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Dear LA Metro,
HMA president Greig Ashurst will soon be in Southern California to lead the regional Area 12 Handbell Youth Conference, located at Concordia University Irvine. Please sign up the young musicians in your life to attend at area12.handbellmusicians.org/bellztng-2024
While in town, Greig will present a free handbell education lecture that is open to the public in which he will discuss handbell pedagogy. This is an excellent opportunity for directors and teachers to learn new ideas about how to best teach the instrument.
Finally, the youth conference will end their weekend with a closing concert that is open to the public. Please come out to support the young musicians performing music under Greig's direction! This concert will feature a brief performance by the Concordia University Handbell Ensembles.
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Fri, September 27 at 1:00pm - 3:00pm: Handbell Education Lecture: HMA president Greig Ashurst presents a free lecture on handbell education.
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Sat. September 28 at 4pm: Handbell Regional Youth Conference, Bellz, the Next Generation. Free Concert
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Mon, March 10: High school handbell invitational: Workshops, adjudications, mass ring & public concert.
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Sat, March 29: Young Ringer's Festival: Workshops, adjudications, mass ring & public concert.
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LAMetro
Regional Coordinator
Erik Der
Cell (text): 619-995-0256
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A full-service handbell store
with music and accessories:
gloves • gifts
maintenance items
mallets • binders
bell tree items
Malmark products
visit us at
www.heitzhandbells.com
612-208-1741
877-426-3235
heitzhandbells@yahoo.com
7209 Morgan Ave S Richfield, MN 55423
ADVERTISEMENT 6/23
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For information on Northern Nevada concerts, events,
and other opportunities,
click here.
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BellJam is back! Dust off your ringing skills and join Tintab for this free, hands-on workshop on Sept. 7th from 10:00-2:00 at Sparks United Methodist Church, 1231 Pyramid Way, Sparks, NV.
The morning workshop, Bells 101, will cover ringing basics including articulations. After a light brunch (provided), Bells 102 will cover marking your music for success.
Due to the late arrival of this newsletter formal registration is closed. If you want to attend contact Barbara at nv.area12@handbellmusicians.org
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If you haven't attended "Handbell Camp" at the Zephyr Point Presbyterian Conference Center on Lake Tahoe, you should really treat yourself next year! Save the dates: July 27-Aug 1st 2025 and join in the fun next year. | |  |
Sunset each night is celebrated! | | | |
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Save the date!
2025 SoCal Spring Ring w/Bronze Vision
Friday & Saturday
May 2 & 3, 2025
St. Thomas More Catholic Church
Oceanside, CA
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Hi there, SoCal!
Forty-five enthusiastic ringers from eight different choirs got “Brushed-Up” on Saturday morning August 17. The enthusiastic group spent four hours learning and refreshing basic skills, all the while learning Inception by Jason Krug.
Sharon Guilliams functioned as clinician and members of the South County Community Handbell Choir (plus Ginger Hague, Katie Montgomery, and Laura Seigert) rang alongside the participants with their own assigned parts to act as mentors. An excerpt from Valerie Stephenson’s all malleted We Wish You a Merry Christmas was also used.
The concept of the event was to brush up skills, while learning a piece of music that choirs could kick off their season. Four of the eight choirs represented indicated they will play Inception in the fall! One other fun characteristic of this event was that the participants from each choir were all dispersed at the various tables and not together by choir. There were two or more mentors ringing alongside the participants at each table. That made it fun, getting to know other ringers, hearing other’s experiences, and learning from the mentors and other ringers.
Sharon started off asking the participants to put on a small sticker note, what brings them “Unbridled Joy.” She then had them stick the note inside the music somewhere, so that when they saw the note, they would think about joy and relax. This was intended to work on the ever-present issue of bell ringers looking like they are being "tortured" when they ring. Sharon also would randomly holler out “joy!” to remind the participants to relax and have their faces show joy, even if it were not a tooth-showing smile. It became the mantra of the day.
Everyone had fun trying to earn additional entries into the drawing for a set of Inception for 2-3 octaves or a set for 3-5 octaves or a Bell Bingo game. A good time was had by everyone. We finished playing the piece all the way through with no stops, no comments from Sharon. The piece sounded pretty darn good. The participants were immensely proud of how far they had come in such a brief time.
As with any event of this size it takes a lot of equipment to pull it off, many thanks to everyone that supplied the equipment. Several of the groups indicated that they may join the SoCal Spring Ring in May!
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Southern Nevada Regional Coordinator
Alison Pruett
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Greetings So. Nevada!
As everyone kicks off their fall seasons, let's talk bell maintenance. It's critical to replace broken springs as they break and to polish your bells periodically. I recently saw a bell with rolls of tape jammed under the broken springs instead of replacing them. Your bells will not perform at their best when not maintained at their best. If you need any help with your bells, please don't hesitate to reach out to me. I can help with Malmark bells and know folks in town who can help with Schulmerichs. So, don't let your bells languish! We can make it better!
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REDDING HANDBELL FESTIVAL
Saturday, October 19, 2024
9:10am - 5:30 pm
Closing concert is at 4:30
CrossPointe Community Church
Redding, CA
Registration: $40 This includes mass ringing, classes and lunch.
Full choirs, partial choirs and individuals are all welcome.
Registration forms can be found on the Area 12 calendar or by contacting Nancy Schmitt at schmitt@awwwsome.com
This event is endorsed by Handbell Musicians of America.
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Massed Director, Matthew Compton, will wow your socks off as he conducts the massed numbers. For those who have never played under a professional director this is the festival for you. Matthew had his first composition published at the age of 15. He has been composing, arranging, and conducting music for handbells since 2007 when he was in the eighth grade!
Massed choir selections:
An American Medley, arr. Anna Laura Page, Code 20043
Simplicity, by Matthew Compton, EGM109
Morning Dance, arr. Cathy Moklebust, CGB218
Simple Gifts, arr. Brenda Austin, AP44245
Red Zone song selection: Siorai Athas (Eternal Joy) by Matthew Compton EGM106
Classes offered:
Planting Bell Trees: clinician Julie Hunziker
The Human Experience (The Rainbow Connection), Director Matthew Compton
Revving Up for the Red Zone Bronze Choir, Director Matthew Compton
Ringing 101: clinician Mary Balkow (basics for new and veteran ringers)
Eight Bell Ringing: clinician Shannon Park
“Simplicity” Easy as one, two, three! Conducting led by clinician Barb Walsh
We hope to see you in October!
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Redding Handbell Festival
Save the Date!
October 19, 2024
Massed Ringing, classes,
and final concert.
FUN and Fellowship!
Additional information above in FarNor Cal article. Plan on bringing a ringer friend
and come join us. I hope to see you there!
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Our National Organization (click logos to get more info!) | |
The Twelfth Tone is published on or around the first of each month, except July, by Area 12 of the Handbell Musicians of America (The Guild). The Guild is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the musical art of handbell/handchime ringing through education, community, and communication. The editor of this publication reserves the right to reject or modify copy.
We have over 1500 contacts, a 40% open rate (17% higher than the industry average) and a 13% click rate. Book your ad NOW!
For advertising types and rates:
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Payment is due prior to publication. Submission DEADLINE is the 20th of each month. No issue in July.
Please submit your ads via email to:
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Teachers: Would you like the use of a three octave set of handbells or handchimes to add interest and a new dimension to your music class?
Area 12 encourages schools and other educational institutions, both public and private, to develop educational programs using handbells and handchimes.
To support the development of such programs, Area 12 has six 3-octave sets of handbells and three 3-octave sets of handchimes for loan.
To learn more about the responsibilities and procedures for participating in this program, click here.
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