I love to bring special features to you, so let's take a trip abroad...to Korea...and hear from Ellen Laszlo (LA Metro) about the International Symposium 2014. Maybe it will inspire you to attend in 2016 in Vancouver, Canada!

Have you ever considered the challenge of following a massed ringing director during rehearsal when you do not speak the same language? (Come-to-think-of-it, yes, I suppose many of us wonder sometimes if we DO speak the same language!) Imagine, though, the director uses NO words because there's no time for translation. You have to watch like crazy and maybe even watch the tables around you to see what you're supposed to do. If you like that kind of a challenge (or are simply curious), read on!

The International Handbell Association promotes ringing programs throughout the world in much the same way as Area 12 contributes to the development of bell ringing in our local communities. Every two years, an international handbell symposium is hosted by one of the seven participating guilds (of which our guild is a member) and every time members of Area 12 travel to ring "international" bell music with new and old friends from around the globe.

In August 2014, the International Handbell Symposium was held in Jeju, Korea. The symposium ran for five days during which there were massed rehearsals, workshops, solo concerts and shared meals - much the same as we do at our regional and area ringing events.  The Area 12 participants in 2014 (who contributed to this story) were Dave and Dian Ruder (Bay Area), and Doug and Judy Lewis, Susan Hitch and Ellen Laszlo (LA Metro). 

The international event was also different from our Area 12 events. We rang a much more diverse repertoire of music; we communicated in multiple languages; we went on a local half day tour together; and our workshops brought together culture, ringing technique and various insights into how handbell musicians promote programs around the world. Our local tour included a temple in a cave, a green tea plantation and a bonsai garden. In our workshops we learned to make traditional Korean "knot" necklaces, tried our hand at K-pop dance, and enjoyed presentations from handbell teachers and ringers from different schools, churches and community organizations on nearly every continent. Many handbell music composers and arrangers were in attendance as we rang massed music with the distinct sounds of each of the guilds. 

Here are some of the reasons our group from Claremont United Church of Christ attends the International Handbell Symposium every 2 years:

• Making new friends and visit with friends from years past
• Ringing together while we rehearse in 4+ languages creates an atmosphere where you really have to watch
• Seeing the sights in a country you might not otherwise visit (we have so many terrific memories of our encounters doing laundry!)
• Learning difficult music that sometimes sounds funny and you probably will never play again
• Attending cultural classes covering history, art and music
• Meeting composers, arrangers and directors from around the world
• Taking home a bag full of bell trinkets and tchotchkes
• Eating food. There's always a lot of really different food.
• Encountering young people - many school groups attend the international symposium and it is truly awesome to see them perform! Their discipline and focus is amazing.
• Dancing with the Puerto Ricans, always a vivacious group!
• And finally, feeling relief after praying that those big black bell cases will come down the baggage claim slide before the belt stops and happiness to have your choir chimes, even if TSA did open the case upside down!

And here's how you too can join the fun! If you've ever considered attending an international handbell symposium, perhaps your best opportunity is in 2016. Visit the British Columbia Guild of English Handbell Ringers for more information about the event planned next year in Vancouver, BC. www.ihs2016vancouver.ca  Hope to see you there!

Kari Jacobs

Southern California Regional Coordinator

[email protected]