Another recent change occurred at our biennial conference. We implemented a new "track" format that allowed participants to benefit from the expertise of not one, but four separate clinicians throughout the weekend. Those of you who were able to experience the track format had very positive things to say on your evaluation forms. And other area leaders around the country are all abuzz and asking Area XII when we're going to do it again. Good question!

If you stay in touch with handbell friends via the Internet in any way, you have probably already heard about some changes at the National level that were introduced at Pinnacle a few weeks ago. These proposals are significant and will help to move handbells forward into the future, and hopefully forward in the minds of other musicians. Make sure you read the article below on National's proposal for new initiatives for more details.

The last change I want to mention is that this will be my last month as your chair. I have had an innovative, motivating and challenging time serving you for the past two years. And I have had a great time getting to know more of you. While I will become your past chair next month (and will have limited duties as such), you will still be hearing from me, since I am being appointed as your new Communications Director. Carol Smith has retired from the position, and I have been appointed to try to fill some very big shoes. If you have items of interest for this e-newsletter, please let me know. I can now be reached in this new position via e-mail at info@areaxii.org. And you can also reach me with business pertaining to the Past Chair at pastchair@areaxii.org.

Change can be a good thing. May we continue to honor the rich history of our past, and embrace the changes that will lead us into the future.

P.L. Grove
Area XII Chair (and Communications Director)

 

 

 We came, we rang, we conquered the looooong UC Davis campus (well, some of us did). At any rate, we once again held our biennial conference on the beautiful campus of UC Davis, and by all accounts, it was a success!

 

There are always drawbacks to every facility, and this year the extra amount of walking was definitely difficult for many. However, we took positive note of the cooperative weather (it could have been SO much hotter!) and the fact that most of us really needed the extra exercise.

Odyssey Ensemble and Instrumentalists

There were so many highlights during the weekend: the Odyssey Ensemble (as a single choir!), Dr. William Payn's intensity and focus, the unpublished music reading session, Michael Glasgow's energy and enthusiasm, Gold Coast Music's willingness to come all the way from Area 10 to be the main handbell vendor on site, Debbie Rice's passion and grace, Opus Handbell Ensemble's wonderful showcase performance, Michele Sharik's incredible drive and spirit, experiencing the emotion of the Marching Handbell choir's final performance, having the amazing Christine Anderson lead the Sunday morning worship service, and the incredible music made at the final massed concert, just to name a few.

 

 

 

 

Kathie, Mackie, Bill Aprile and Marvin Bort of Opus

Dear Members of Area XII,

 

My appreciation and thanks go out to all of you for the scholarship to attend the Conference last month! Your generosity allowed me to take part in a wonderful musical event. I was pleasantly surprised to see so many enthusiastic ringers.

 

I really appreciated the opportunity to learn from the handbell community. It was a very positive learning experience, which has given me lots to think about, explore and implement.

 

Making contacts with directors, ringers, vendors and even ringers who are my neighbors from the Concord/Clayton area has encouraged me to continue to develop my handbell choir. And now I know where to go when I have questions...Area XII!

 

I look forward to seeing all of you again at another event.

 

Sincerely,

 

Diana Farias

The Silent Auction held at the Davis conference was a success, and kudos goes to Norma Rose for once again pulling it all together.

 

Items seemed sparse at the beginning of the weekend, but but Day Two, the tables were full and bidders were shopping. A donation "war" broke among several of the clinicians, which helped to up the final donation total.

 

And thanks again to Norma Rose for her dedication to this cause and her wonderful positive spirit at each conference!

Every ringer in the room felt shivers run down their spine as the Marching Handbell Choir opened the massed concert at the Area XII conference, marching and ringing Cynthia Dobrinski's "Festive Entrada" for the last time.

 

 

While it was, indeed, their final performance, they held their heads high as they entered the room. On behalf of the group, Caroline Harnly made a presentation of their bells to Area XII Chair, P.L. Grove. Then they blew the whistle, and marched off as the crowd gave them a standing ovation. There was not a dry eye in the room as they retreated to their second tune, "You're a Grand Old Flag."

 

Area XII's Bell Loan Program is indebted to the Marching Handbell Choir for their donation of almost two sets of handbells. The marching may be over, but the bells will continue to ring.

 

As is typical at a large event, there were items left behind. While we have found the owners for most of these items, there are still a few lost articles waiting to be found.

 

If you attended the Davis conference and have misplaced three music stands, a director's baton or one Malmark grey mallet, please contact the Communications Director (info@areaxii.org).

 

You may have noticed the incredible display of items at the Area XII historical booth while you were at the Davis conference. This is an ongoing labor of love, and our Historian needs your help.

 

Our history is incomplete without pictures, so if you or someone you know has any photos from the 1992 conference in Hawaii or the 1994 conference in Visalia, please contact Diane Levorsen at historian@areaxii.org.

SoCal - Michele Sharik, Regional Coordinator

 

Hi, everybody! I hope you have all been enjoying your summer "break." I put "break" in quotes because while our handbell groups may not have been rehearsing, there were certainly plenty of handbell events to attend!

 

Of course we had our own Area XII Festival Conference at UC Davis in June. I not only got to teach, but I had the pleasure to meet many Southern California ringers and directors there, too. Thanks for coming up and introducing yourselves!

 

July saw handbell ringers from across the nation and across the sea converge on Nashville for the AGEHR Pinnacle 2010 National Conference. Area XII was well represented as our own Sonos Handbell Ensemble performed at the historic Ryman Auditorium as the Sunday opening night concert, and Velocity Handbell Ensemble completely awed their audience at a showcase concert on Tuesday.  Congratulations to both groups!

 

Please send me your handbell events for this fall & beyond. Some people have said to me, "I didn't think our concert was important enough to tell you." Of course your concerts and other events are important! Handbell fans are, well, fanatical about attending events and how can they go if they don't know about them? Send me everything! :-)

 

Speaking of events, don't forget to check the Area XII Southern California website to keep up with our event calendar and of course our new featured articles. This month's featured article is "The Wesley Bell Ringers in Concert" by DL Shearer (http://www.areaxii.org/Areas/SouthernCalifornia/Wesley-Bell-Ringers). DL attended the Wesley Bell Ringers' June concert in Temecula and wrote a short review, complete with pictures.

 

You can also keep up with SoCal goings-on at our Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Southern-California-Region-AGEHR-Area-XII/355295675980).

 

Mark your calendars now for the 2011 Southern California Spring Ring! We'll have the "Bronze Vision" event on Friday, April 8, and the Spring Ring event on Saturday, April 9. Christine Anderson is our amazing massed conductor, and we'll have classes taught by Roy Attridge, Joe Rodriguez, and me. It's sure to be a fabulous event!

 

That's it for this month. If you know of any handbell events or exciting handbell news, please drop me a line at socal@areaxii.org and let me know!

 

My best,

Michèle :-)

Hello Everyone!

 

I hope everyone has been enjoying your Summer.  Thank you for your feedback regarding the July Special Issue of the LA Metro E-News.  I am glad that you appreciated the news and updates.

 

      Now it is August and I am sure that many of you are busy preparing for another year of ringing at school and church.  Music selections, folders to fill, and calendars to schedule.  The Davis Conference was great, and I enjoyed visiting with many of you while I worked in Freeborn Hall.  The reports from Pinnacle tell us that a fabulous time was had by all.  I know I really missed being there.  But all the updates being posted on the Handbell-L helped by letting me in on what was happening.  If you don't belong to the Handbell-L you are missing out on a great handbell resource.  There are 450+ handbell enthusiasts from around the world who share news, questions, answers, and just plain fun on the message board.  You can get repertoire suggestions, ask questions about techniques or music, or just chat with other ringers.  It is easy to join.  Just send and email to: handbell-l+subscribe@googlegroups.com. Add handbell-l@googlegroups.com to your contact list and your can send and receive posts and join the fun.  Many times you will hear on the handbell-l first about new events and news.  I heard almost instantly about the "Pinnacle Announcements" mentioned in the article below.  For those of you already subscribed the word "temp" has been recently removed from the name, so you may need to update your contact list so you post to the new address above.

 

      The "big" news in the LA Metro region is the Fall Ringers Workshop is returning on October 2nd.  It will be at Glendale First UMC, in Glendale.  Your can get all the details here.  After an absence last year we are thrilled to bring this event back to you.  Much thanks goes to Pearl Marshall for all her hard work on this event.  There are many new and exciting things planned for this one day event, so check it out and sign up to come.

 

     I have been working on the plans for the upcoming Spring Ring on March 19th and hope to have most of the details ready to announce in September. Mark your calendar now for this event.  New bigger venue, more offerings, and Michele Sharik!  You don't want to miss this!

 

   The International Handbell Symposium begins Tuesday in Osaka, Japan.  We have 2 members of the LA Metro handbell community attending; Beth Mays and Carol Fowler.  Linda Duffendack Mays formerly of LA is also attending.  Please keep them in your thoughts as they spend this time in Japan.  If you would like to follow Jenny Cauhorn's blog from Osaka, you can follow this link: http://agehrosaka.blogspot.com/

 

     I don't have any concerts to report, so please send me your concerts to be added to our calendar and website.

 

    Last but not least, drumroll please,  LA Metro is proud to be the home of the 2012 Area XII Ringers Conference which will be held at the Disneyland Hotel on June 28 - July 1, 2012.  This conference will have the Disney touch and we will be among the first conferences in the hotel after the BIG park expansion and hotel upgrade.  If you have never stayed at the hotel, start planning now because the news that is coming will knock your socks off!  I really hope to see ALL of you at our 2012 Conference, it is a local event for us!  Watch for more news in the coming issues of the Twelfth Tone.

 

Debbie

 

 

Since there wasn't a July 12th Tone, I'll say "Happy August".

 

I missed the Davis Conference, much to my regret; however, I was in Georgia & Florida, celebrating a high school graduation and visiting with children & grandchildren and then on our yearly fishing trip, arriving home on the 25th of June!

 

Feedback from those attending Davis from this area has been positive.  The speculation of how this track system would work was of concern, but in the end, it was a very positive experience.  The break away class sessions were good and I was told the food was good, weather cooperated, music & concerts were great ; the clinicians fun to work with - there was lots of laughter- so Good Job to all of the Board who worked so hard to have a successful conference!  Don't forget the 2012 Conference will be at Disneyland!  so start saving now!

 

The summer months in this area are quiet, what with vacations and other activities.  Some choirs will come together in August, but most will begin in September. 

 

 

Have a great relaxing summer.

 

Shirley 

 

Happy Summer, SF Bay Area!

 

I'm still on a handbell high!! Area XII's Odyssey 2010 conference at UC Davis was incredible! I loved spending two full days with Dr. Payn and his assistant clinicians in tracks for Performance and Directing. And massed ringing under the direction of Dr. Payn, Michael Glasgow and Deborah Rice was exhilarating!!

 

Just a few weeks later, I attended Pinnacle in Nashville, Tennessee. I went to 24 concerts, listened to 187 handbell songs, attended four ringing sessions, and attended ten classes. The San Francisco Bay Area is extremely proud of our local ensembles, Sonos and Velocity, for sharing their incredible artistry in both of their performances at Pinnacle!

 

Now to channel all of this energy and music into the upcoming ringing season during worship at my church!

 

Don't forget to send me information about your workshops and concerts scheduled for this fall.

Beckie

Las Vegas 12th Night Handbell Festival
January 15 & 16, 2011
South Point Hotel, Las Vegas
Clinician, Tim Waugh
Contact: Dixie Bailey, registrar

 

 

Northern Nevada Ringers Workshop

October 2nd

Sparks United Methodist Church, Sparks, Nevada

Clinician: Tessique Houston

 

Las vegas Ringers' Workshop

First Presbyterian Church, Las Vegas, Nevada

Clinician: Larry Sue

 

See the calendar and the Area XII Web site for more details.

   

  The fourth national Pinnacle event - held almost

  two weeks ago in Nashville, Tennessee - was

  definitely a "pinnacle" experience. The first three

  Pinnacle events were focused mostly on performance groups and, as a result, those who attended were largely members or directors of community or professional groups.

 

This year, the National office had the brilliant idea to combine the Pinnacle event with the annual National Seminar (aka the Director's Seminar). The result was a perfect mixture of directors, church musicians, music educators, professional/community ensembles, and area leaders, as well as those who came just to ring, ring, ring.

 

In terms of the classes, so many of the topics fed into each other or tagged onto the subject matter. Many participants commented they were surprised at how well the discussion topics related to each other and how many of the teachers had a similar focus. This art form has definitely evolved. Ten years ago an event of this nature might have had three different classes teaching completely opposite theories. Now many of the "experts" have come to the same conclusions over time and seem to be focused on the same techniques and subjects.

 

While the classes are great, the thing that sets Pinnacle apart from other handbell events is the performances. The four headliner concerts - Sonos Handbell Ensemble, The Agape Ringers, Vivace (who came all the way from Puerto Rico) and the Raleigh Ringers - did not disappoint in their ability to dazzle, and they each brought something completely different to the performance stage.

 

"Pinnacle is so named because the top handbell groups and clinicians come together in a joyous feast of music making and discussion. Of these extraordinary gatherings of ensembles, two are from the S.F. Bay Area and include Velocity and Sonos.  Both groups did themselves proud.

As Dian and I heard one concert after another, rarely tiring to the ear with the wonderful programming and skills displayed, we were impressed by the attention to detail and high performance standards by all.  Groups that had been around for from two to twenty years literally 'worked their tails off' to present the best and most interesting of their repertoire at near perfection. Because each of us has different backgrounds and preferences, we might disagree on which group or type of music we preferred, but there was something for all. Those with an open palate feasted on delightful musical treats from each presentation.

Sonos Performs "Smirti"

Many groups have developed a 'brand' or 'identity.' It was fun to see that branding on display in various performances. Sonos has been identified with a superior ability to take some of the classical works and turn them, under the skillful arranging hand of Jim Meredith, into handbell delights.  This was evident with their wonderful interpretations of Bach's Toccata in G, the Villa-Lobos Bachianas No. 5 and the Rondo alla turca of Mozart. Yet on the other side of the ringing spectrum their 'Ringing on the Edge' versions of Smirti and Sonics skillfully took us to new listening experiences with handbells. By exploring these 'edges' of the ringing world, listeners are required to open up their minds to new possibilities...with bells alone or in combination with other instruments.

 

Velocity Plays "Carmen"

Velocity also proved it can handle a variety of styles and genre. The classical works of Bach (Fugue in C Major) and Bizet (Overture to Carmen) were beautifully played, but so was the Tango by Kenny G. The set-ups were well covered by very entertaining remarks by each of the members of the group. With the delightful humor and excellent scripting providing a sense of the whole, the package of music and verbiage provided a delightful experience."

  Among the more exciting moments at Pinnacle was

  the announcement of some major future

  initiatives for the American Guild of English

  Handbell Ringers (AGEHR).

 

At lunch on Day Two of Pinnacle 2010, AGEHR president John Pfeiffer announced the beginning of some major changes which will serve to transform the face of the organization and become the catalyst for handbell musicians to build a lifetime of ringing. Some of you may remember John's speech at last year's National Seminar; if not, you can re-read it on Page 34 of the September/October 2009 issue of the Overtones. In that keynote address, John indicated the need for the organization to move in a bold new direction if it is to survive, and to find ways to create a "lifetime of ringing."

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