I don’t know about you, but I was enthralled with all of the Christmas ringing this past month! There were so many awesome concerts that I was able to view online. I wasn’t able to see any live concerts, but was excited to get ideas about future concerts from the ones I watched. Christmas can be difficult with all of the hustle and bustle that goes along with getting everything just right. I find that listening to joyful music lightens the mood and keeps me in the Christmas spirit. My groups have one more opportunity to play Christmas music as we attend 12th Night in Boulder City, NV. This is always a fun event, and allows us to “repeat the sounding joy” of our Christmas music one more time before we put it to bed and pull out the spring music. | |
|
|
I don’t know about you, but I was enthralled with all of the Christmas ringing this past month! There were so many awesome concerts that I was able to view online. I wasn’t able to see any live concerts, but was excited to get ideas about future concerts from the ones I watched. Christmas can be difficult with all of the hustle and bustle that goes along with getting everything just right. I find that listening to joyful music lightens the mood and keeps me in the Christmas spirit. My groups have one more opportunity to play Christmas music as we attend 12th Night in Boulder City, NV. This is always a fun event, and allows us to “repeat the sounding joy” of our Christmas music one more time before we put it to bed and pull out the spring music.
My groups all have a small break before we head into new rehearsals with new music. We will now be rehearsing for spring concerts, festivals, and Easter. The most exciting thing about spring for me is to see the growth my ringers have experienced since August. They are always surprised when we begin music that is a half level or full level more difficult than what they started with in the fall. It gives them encouragement to continue working hard and become even better ringers. As you prepare for spring events, don’t forget to have fun with your groups. Take some time in rehearsals to joke about things and laugh. Sometimes, it is too easy to get bogged down in the rehearsals and learning, and we forget to enjoy the process and the music. So, my January encouragement is to continue the joy that we all experienced this Christmas through your spring events.
As always, please reach out to any of the board members if you have questions or need help with anything in your bell programs. We are here to serve you!
Happy Ringing!
Marci
| |
Go Nuts with Area 12
in Modesto
June 20-22, 2024
Director: Barbara Meinke
| | |
|
Ringing opportunities for Mixed Nuts (massed),
Almonds & Pistachios (divisional ringing)
Classes and repertoire TBA
Registration opens on January 24, 2024
Registration cost: $175/person; $150/person for groups of 8 or more
EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT - register by April 24, 2024 and receive a $25/person discount.
| |
|
|
Call for Classes/Faculty
Do you have a great idea for a class? Do you have handbell knowledge you think everyone should know? Do you have a fun new handbell game or activity you want to share? Tell us about it! We are asking YOU to apply to teach a class, lead an activity or game, and/or share your handbell knowledge with Area 12. Go fill out the class/faculty application and tell us all about it!
Here’s the link: Class/Faculty Application
I am looking forward to reading your great ideas!
-Michèle Sharik, Chair-Elect
| | | |
|
Friday and Saturday | September 27/28, 2024
Concordia University, Irvine
Tim Waugh, Clinician
| |
Membership News
Happy New Year Area 12! As we begin 2024 I would encourage you to check and be sure your HMA membership is up to date and consider attending some events in our area (or beyond).
Did you know that there are different Membership options? In addition to individual and group memberships (for choirs, schools, community ensembles) there are are special memberships for retired directors, students, and sub-memberships for those who are a part of a group or company membership. Check out all the options at https://handbellmusicians.org/get-involved/become-a-member/
| |
|
|
There are lots of benefits available to members. Check them out and consider renewing, or even upgrading, your membership. Then take advantage of discounts for registrations at area and national events, receive a subscription to Overtones, and take advantage of resources available on-line via the HMA website.
Feel free to contact me with membership related questions at: membership.area12@handbellmusicians.org
I'm looking forward to seeing you soon!
Cathy Griggs
| |
Next Area 12 Board Meeting: January 2024 | Virtual | |
to submit YOUR event!
(and get a social media push!)
| |
|
Check out all the membership options and benefits for Handbell Musicians of America HERE.
Current Area 12
Member Count:
181
| |
Want to place
a classified ad?
Click on the
WANTED sign and
fill out the form!
Check out our
Classified Ads
| |
|
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.
| |
For information on Far Northern California concerts, events, and other opportunities, click here.
| |
|
“Kettle Bells” were ringing around Eureka during December. Bella Norte Handbell Choir directed by Linda Dione tells me that her group spread a lot of holiday cheer. They rang at the open house in the Henderson Center shopping area at the Salvation Army booth as well as other places around town.
Redding Bell Peppers directed by Lois Nichols offered special music at Pathways Church in December. They played bells with the choir as well as songs with just the bell choir.
| |
|
First Nazarene Church in Redding led by Sherrie Baker offered special music at their church on two different Sundays in December. Their bells had been in the closet for several years but a year ago their pastor encouraged them to get the bells out of the closet and start ringing again. So they did.
Up in Mt. Shasta the I Am School Handbell Choir directed by Crystal Delgado performed a recital.
The Carillons of Redding directed by me, Nancy Schmitt, spread holiday cheer for the Festival of Trees Mercy Hospital Guild gala event in November, for the veterans on Dec. 7 at the Redding Veterans Home and for the residents of The Vistas Assisted Living Home, as well as playing at three churches.
I would welcome hearing from other bell choirs as to what you did over the holidays or if you have workshops or concerts planned for the future please let me know so I can get them on the Area 12 calendar and website calendar.
Please remember to mark your brand new 2024 calendar for October 19 for the Redding Handbell Festival. Massed director will be Matthew Compton.
Happy New Year of ringing,
Nancy Schmitt
| | |
|
|
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
| | |
For information on Southern Nevada concerts, events, and other opportunities, click here. | |
12th Night Handbell Festival | It's that time to start thinking about the holidays. Consider adding some of the pieces for the 12th Night Handbell Festival to your repertoire. This year's clinician will be Jason Krug and we'll be at the Boulder City Recreation Center on January 5-6. All details are available at harmonyhandbells.com/festival. | |
The 12th Night Handbell Festival is endorsed by Handbell Musicians of America, dedicated to uniting people through the musical art of handbell and handchime ringing. www.handbellmusicians.org | |
For information on LA Metro area concerts, events, and other opportunities, click here. | |
|
Registration is now open for two incredible events that will bring together many handbell ensembles to perform together under one roof. Concordia's Handbell Invitational is on Saturday, March 16, 2024. High school ensembles, church ensembles, and community ensembles are invited to attend this special event. Your ringers' skills will be honed under the direction of clinicians Alex Guebert, Erik Der and guest adjudicators, your ensemble will perform during a public concert, and you'll join together in beautiful harmony with a mass ring.
| |
|
Concordia Handbell Invitational | Saturday, March 16 2024: Register Here
(Or you can contact me directly: 619-995-0256)
And now... something for the kids!
Concordia's Young Ringers Festival is on Saturday, March 9, 2024. This event is specially designed for ringers 8th grade and younger! Adjudication/workshop, mass ring, afternoon concert and more await your registration!
Concordia Young Ringers Festival| Saturday, March 9 2024: Register Here
| |
For information on Northern Nevada concerts, events, and other opportunities, click here.
| |
|
My article this month ponders a question: how does music reading fluency affect bell musicians?
A couple of things happened in December that made me think about this. The first one was ringers who get lost, especially on page turns. We figured out that they're following the "bouncing ball", or in other words, literally looking at and listening for each individiual melody or top note to stay found. How many times have you heard, " I got lost because I couldn't hear the melody"? Yes, the melody is important, but depending on the acoustics of the room and where you are physically in relation to the melody/top bells, you can't count on (pun intended) using the melody or top note to keep yourself found. A more reliable way to stay found is to be able to see and hear where the main beats are in each measure and force yourself to keep your eyes, ears, and brain moving ahead to the next beat and the next measure. Checking in with your conductor (at least peripherally) to confirm which beat you're on, especially the downbeat, is also key.
| |
|
Another important tool is being able to audiate (hear in your mind) what the music should sound like. The key to this is not only knowing what the whole piece sounds like, but what the important parts around you sound like (not necessarily the melody, but maybe the rhythm or an arpeggio or something else significant) and how your notes fit into that.
A couple of my note to note ringers were still a little unsure about all this, but when I had them pretend like they were first graders using phonics to read this sentence:
"P-a-t h-a-s a f-a-t c-a-t", they totally understood what the issue was!
Next month, I'll share another thing that happened that got me thinking about music reading fluency. If you're a nerd like me who thinks about stuff like this, email me so we can chat about it!
| | |
For information on Southern California concerts, events, and other opportunities, click here.
|
The SoCal Spring Ring is sponsored by Handbell Musicians of America, dedicated to uniting people through the musical art of handbell and handchime ringing. www.handbellmusicians.org
| |
|
Save the date!
Friday May 3 & Saturday May 4, 2024
SoCal Spring Ring & Bronze Vision
with Elizabeth Mays Loebig, clinician
St. Thomas More Church, Oceanside
A request: would you please take a few minutes to help us make the SoCal Spring Ring & Bronze Vision event the best it can be by answering the questions in this survey? (Big thanks to those who already have!)
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GDBYLMG
Remember that Handbell Musicians of America Area 12 exists to serve handbell musicians and that means YOU! Please let us know what you need and how we can best serve you.
My best,
-Michèle
| | |
For information on Southern California concerts, events, and other opportunities, click here.
|
The SoCal Spring Ring is sponsored by Handbell Musicians of America, dedicated to uniting people through the musical art of handbell and handchime ringing. www.handbellmusicians.org
| |
|
This past Christmas season was the first time I prepared for a concert as a handbell musician since 2019. While I had played handbells a little here and there, it did not compare to a concert season with Sonos. Going into the season, I was a little nervous. Would I be able to control the bell as well as I used to? Would my quick decision making skills be up to par? Can I still sling the 2's? What if Trepak and The Hallelujah Chorus were no longer memorized!? I could go on with my list of anxieties. As soon as the season started, I was quickly reminded of why I fell in love with handbells in the first place. For one, playing handbells is really fun! And playing next to some of your favorite handbell musicians makes it even better. Second, post rehearsal dinners are the best! Getting to relax and laugh with your handbell friends over a hot meal is one of a kind. And lastly, being able to perform for an audience helps bring it all full circle. All of my anxieties dissipated and it was a lovely season full of music making. I want to never go that long without playing handbells ever again!
I hope all of you were able to put your hands on some handbells and close the year with the glorious sounds of bells. And if you weren't able to, I hope there will be tons of opportunities to start the new year ringing. Check Area 12 calendar for opportunities to ring or attendent concerts in the area. And be sure to keep a special eye out for announcements for the Bay Area Spring Ring!
Happy New Year!
| |
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:
|
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:
| |  |
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.
| | |
Elected Officers
Chair
•
Chair Elect
•
Past Chair
•
Treasurer
•
Secretary
| |
Appointed Officers
Communications
•
Education
•
Historian
•
Membership
•
Social Media
•
Webmaster
•
Vendor Liaison
| |
Regional Coordinators
Central California
•
Far Northern California Liaison
•
Hawaii
•
Los Angeles Metro
•
Northern California
•
Northern Nevada
•
San Francisco Bay Area
•
Southern California
•
Southern Nevada
| | | | |
