Message from the Chair

Greetings!

It always amazes me to see how much is going on in the handbell world. Over the last couple of weeks, I have seen numerous postings in social media for handbell concerts. In Area 12, I have seen no less than ten different events for the spring/early summer. I hope you find an opportunity to attend at least one concert or event this spring. Please check out the calendar on the Area 12 website.

CHAIR

Marci Nuoffer

The planning for Go Nuts with Area 12 in Modesto is exciting. We are excited about the opportunities for gathering to learn, ring, and simply enjoy being with others who love handbells. Please consider registering if you haven’t done so already.

Bellz! The Next Generation is also well underway in the planning stages. This is a fabulous youth conference in September. Registration is open, so if you know of any middle school or high school youth that love handbells, let’s get them to this event!

Remember, your board is here for you. If you have any questions, or if you need any help with your program, please reach out to any of us.

Happy Ringing!

Marci

Thank you to all who registered for Go Nuts! in Modesto. Sunday May 26th we sent confirmation emails to all who are registered. In a few cases a director signed up for a group, in those cases we let the director know who is registered from their group. In confirming our attendees over the past few weeks, we have found at least 3 instances where someone thought they had registered but we didn't have the registration. The registration process sends you PayPal for payment, and then asks you to "submit" your registration back on the original website. We believe that last step might not have happened for a few people. So please reach out to us at registrar.area12@handbellmusicians.org if you have any concern that your registration may not be complete.

We currently have over 80 people out of a maximum of 120, so we are looking forward to a great event. It's not too late to sign up if you would still like to join us.

Our next Board of Directors meeting is June 8. If there is anything you would like to bring up for us to discuss, please let any one of us on the board know.

Sincerely,

Carol Pickford

Area 12 Secretary

Go Nuts with Area 12

in Modesto

June 20-22, 2024

Director: Barbara Meinke

Director Seminar: Lynn Atkins

Volunteers needed!

Volunteering is a great way to give back to Area 12 with a limited time commitment. We will need people to do all sorts of things - moving equipment and assisting clinicians and teachers to name two. Maybe you can even think of something unique YOU can do for us. Please fill out the Volunteer Interest form and let us know we can count on you. Click here to volunteer!

Click here to register now!

Ringing opportunities for Mixed Nuts (massed),

Almonds & Pistachios (divisional ringing)

Classes and descriptions can be found here.

Registration cost: $175/person; $150/person for groups of 8 or more.

Youth Ringing Conference

Friday and Saturday | September 27/28, 2024

Concordia University, Irvine

Membership Director

Robyn Baird

Membership

Hi! My name is Robyn Baird. I am honored to serve as the new Membership Director for Area 12. I have been playing handbells since I was ten years old and currently play with my church choir at Green Valley Presbyterian as well as with Harmony Handbells in Las Vegas. I want to encourage everyone to make sure to keep your HMA memberships active, so you can have access to all the great benefits: for example, last summer I applied for and was awarded a scholarship to attend HMA’s National Seminar in Texas, and it was SO FUN!!! I really am honored to serve in this new role, and I hope you will reach out to me with any questions. Thanks everyone! Happy ringing!

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Cindy Ksiazek

Redding Handbell Festival

Save the Date!

October 19, 2024

Massed Ringing, classes,

and final concert.

FUN and Fellowship!

Plan on bringing a ringer friend and come join us

Hello Northern California

Since I am fairly new to the Area 12 board as the Northern California Regional Coordinator I have been reaching out to bell choirs in the Sacramento area. I heard from Deanna Wiseman of Yuba City. Here is what she had to say:

“We are the St. Andrew Chancel Bell Choir. We are only 2 octaves. There are 9 of us including me. I am a tk-8 music teacher in the Marysville Joint United School District. I came on with the group 12 years ago to take over for Dean Estabrook, a beloved retired music teacher, in the bass section. Because his wife was the director and wanted to stay at 3 octaves he and I played side by side for another 4 years. I am now the director.”

Deanna is hopeful that she and her ringers will be able to attend the Redding Handbell Festival which is October 19. We hope you will consider joining us as well. It is just up Interstate 5 in Redding!

Area 12 is always grateful for volunteers. If you have ever considered being a volunteer, whether it’s for a short time, such as an event (planning or helping at the event), being on a committee such as our election committee, or a longer term, such as being on the board, as an all-volunteer organization we would love to have you.

Click for

concerts and events!

Go to our HOMEPAGE

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:

188

Want to place

a classified ad?

Click on the

WANTED sign and

fill out the form!

Check out our

Classified Ads

for Ringers

for Directors

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.

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

ADVERTISEMENT 8/23

NORTHERN NEVADA

Barbara Walsh

For information on Northern Nevada concerts, events,

and other opportunities,

click here.

Howdy!

Our 22nd Annual Sierra Spring was a huge success! We made beautiful music together along with learning new things and making new friends. Our sister group from Las Vegas, Harmony Handbells, joined Tintab to make a full 5 octaves. Other groups who attended were South Reno UMC, Grass Valley California UMC, Carson Valley UMC and individuals from Reno 1st UMC and Trinity Episcopal from downtown Reno. We hope to see you next year along with other people from across the area!

Learning in Theresa's class

Tintab playing a solo.

Hello So. Nevada!

I hope everyone had a great Easter season and spring concert season! I went to the So Cal Spring Ring in Oceanside and to the Sierra Spring Ring in Reno. Even if you can’t find spring experiences in Vegas, check out the rest of Area 12 on the calendar on the Area 12 website. The upcoming Go Nuts Area 12 conference is getting ready to happen in Modesto in just a couple weeks. It’s not too late to join in on the fun! There’s also the National Handbell Seminar in Hartford, Connecticut, in July. Harmony Handbells will be holding their annual Intro to Massed Ringing workshop on September 7. More news will be coming about that. There’s lots of stuff to do out there! Just ring bells!

SOUTHERN NEVADA

Alison Pruett

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Michèle Sharik

For information on Southern California concerts, events, and other opportunities, click here.

Let’s Brush Up on Those Handbell Skills and Techniques!

When: Saturday, August 17, 2024, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Where: San Luis Rey Valley United Methodist Church, 5570 Old Ranch Road, Oceanside, CA, 92057

Cost: $30 per person, or $150 per choir of 6 people or more

Registration

More Information

This event is sponsored by Handbell Musicians of America, dedicated to uniting people through the musical art of handbell and handchime ringing.

Hi there, SoCal!

The 2024 SoCal Spring Ring was so much fun! This is the first year I was actually able to ring and I had an absolute blast ringing under our clinician, the maestra Elizabeth Mays Loebig! She was patient & musical. We had 37 ringers from three counties and two states (the Harmony Ringers from Las Vegas traveled the farthest), 17 of whom also rang in Bronze Vision. We were small, but mighty! Many, many thanks to our wonderful hosts at St. Thomas More Catholic Church. BTW, we are finalizing dates for next year’s Spring Ring, so stay tuned for that.

There’s another event happening in Oceanside in August, just in time for the start of most ringing seasons: “Let’s Brush Up” is a four-hour workshop which offers education and a terrific opportunity to ring in a massed setting for all levels of handbell musicians. Participants will explore an original handbell piece, “Inception,” by Jason W. Krug, with clinician Sharon Guilliams and the South County Community Handbell Choir. In addition to the group instruction, participants will ring alongside handbell musicians from more experienced choirs to learn through observation and individual attention. Everything will be supplied for the participants and no prior preparation is needed. Directors, I encourage you to encourage your ringers to attend (and maybe pick up some rehearsal pointers for yourselves, too) — I plan to be there!

And let’s not forget this year’s Area 12 Conference “Go Nuts” in Modesto later this month. I mean, we SoCal-ers know that Barbara Meinke is an outstanding clinician who will lead us to making the finest music possible, plus Dr. Lynn Atkins will be leading the Director Seminar. We’ve also got some of Area 12’s best teachers lined up with a great selection of classes. What’s not to love? I hope to see you there!

Have a great summer!

My best,

-Michèle

FAR NORCAL

Nancy Schmitt

REDDING HANDBELL FESTIVAL

Saturday, October 19, 2024

CrossPointe Community Church

Redding, CA

Massed Ringing, Classes, and Final Concert

Registration fee: $40.00

Massed Director: Matthew Compton

Red Zone Bronze Director: Matthew Compton

Registration is now open for full choirs, partial choirs, and individuals.

This event is for beginner, intermediate, and advanced ringers.

Have you ever been to a handbell festival? If you answered “no” then please consider coming to the Redding Handbell Festival.

Have you ever rung a piece of music and wished you could meet the composer/arranger of that musical piece? Then please come to the Redding Handbell Festival as we will be playing a song or two by Matthew Compton.

Have you ever wished that you could challenge yourself to ringing more difficult music? Then consider being a part of the Red Zone Bronze Choir attached to the Redding Handbell Festival.

Matthew Compton has been composing and arranging music for handbells since 2007 when he was in eighth grade. He is coming to Redding in October to be our Massed director and our Red Zone director.

Song selections for Massed Ringing

An American Medley, arr. Anna Laura Page, Level 2, Code # 20043

Simplicity, Matthew Compton, Level 2, Code EGM109

Morning Dance, Arr. Cathy Moklebust, Level 3 Code CGB218

Simple Gifts, Arr. Breanda Austin, Level 3, Code AP44245

Red Zone Bronze Choir song selection:

Siorai Athas (Eternal Joy), Matthew Compton, Level 3+, Code EGM106

Bell Classes:

Planting Bell Trees: Clinician Julie Hunziker

Basic Bell Ringing and Damping: Clinician Mary Balkow

Eight Bell Ringing: Clinician Shannon Park

Revving up the Red Zone: Clinician Matthew Compton

The Human Experience (The Rainbow Connection): Clinician Matthew Compton

Registration forms for this fall festival can be found on the Area 12 Calendar, the Area 12 Website, or e-mail me, Nancy Schmitt, schmitt@awwwsome.com

This event is sponsored by Handbell Musicians of America, dedicated to uniting people through the musical art of handbell and handchime ringing.

Submitted by,

Nancy Schmitt

Far Northern California Liaison for Area 12

LA METRO

Erik Der

For information on Los Angeles Metro concerts, events, and other opportunities, click here.

Dear Area 12,

Ensembles Recruiting in Southern California:

- Concordia Community Handbell Ensemble (Irvine): Friday night rehearsals start in September. Minimal performance schedule. Email: ConcordiaCommunityHandbells@gmail.com

- Concordia University Student Ensembles (Irvine): Scholarships are available. Email: https://www.cui.edu/arts/music/scholarships

- LA Bronze (Los Angeles):

Advanced adult community ensemble: Email: pres@labronzehandbells.org

- Covenant Ringers (Orange): Church handbell ensemble that rehearses Thursday nights on a limited schedule. Low commitment with occasional Sunday morning performance. Email: lametro.area12@handbellmusicians.org

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:

Visit our website

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:

Communications Director

Area 12 Bell/Chime Loan Program

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.