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   The Twelfth Tone
 
Area 12 Newsletter
February 2016
In This Issue
From the Chair
Communiqué
2016 Festival Conference
Central California
Southern California
San Francisco Bay Area
Southern Nevada
LA Metro
Northern Nevada
Hawaii
Northern California
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The Twelfth Tone is published 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.

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Message from the Chair - Mich�le Sharik

Hi there, Area 12!

Can you believe it's February already? I look at my calendar and cannot believe how swiftly time passes! For some of us, February is a time of rest between the winter and spring holidays, but others of us have to prepare for February services and concerts, too. 

And who knew there were SO many holidays in February? I googled a list and here's what I found: Candlemas (Christian, Feb 2), Imbolc (Pagan, Feb 2), St. Brigid's Day (Christian, Feb 2), Setsubun (Shinto, Feb 3), Ash Wednesday  and Lent (Christian, Feb 10), Our Lady of Lourdes' Feast Day (Christian, Feb 11), Saraswati Puja (Hindu, Feb 12), Vasant Panchami (Sikh, Feb 12), St. Valentine's Day (Christian, Feb 14), and Nirvana Day (Buddhist, Feb 15). Plus, there are other events such as Groundhog Day (Feb 2), Chinese New Year (Feb 8), and President's Day (US, Feb 15). Just imagine if handbells played for ALL of them! (UU's, I'm lookin' at you!)

So, whether your group plans to play for one or more of these holidays, or just takes the time to regroup before Easter (Mar 27) and all the April Spring Rings, I hope you will check out the Area 12 calendar - click the link over there in the left-hand navigation panel - and see if there are any workshops, concerts, or other events that your group may enjoy attending, maybe just to relax and refresh their handbell passion after the December-January holidays.

My Best,
Mich�le Sharik
Chair
Communiqu� - Barbara Meinke, Communications Director
  
This month I asked our own Marquise Usher, who recently attended the national College Ring-In with two other Area 12 young adults, Derek Nance and Andrew Schur, to tell us about his experience. It's great to read what our young people have to say about what's important to them in handbells! 

When you stick a bunch of young musicians in a room together, you're bound to experience a lot of creativity. When you stick a bunch of young handbell musicians in a room together, you're granted a glimpse into the future. We often hear "Young people are the future of our art!" I experienced something completely different during College Ring-In. Young handbell musicians are the now of handbells and we are paving the way INTO the future!

Imagine sitting in a folding chair behind a row of shiny bells getting to know the persons to your right and left. You can't stop fidgeting with your nametag and exploring all the freebies in your welcome bag. Finally, someone walks up to the microphone to make a few welcome announcements and your heartbeat quickens! Michael Joy is introduced and takes his place at the podium. Everyone stands up expecting to ring and instead of ringing, Mike wants to do a little bit of Qigong...

I'm sure you're all with me when I say, "All I want to do is ring!" Mike takes it a step further by expressing, "All I want you to do is ring and here is a way to enhance your ringing."

Not very often in our art do we encounter a tool or technique that can be widely used to cultivate a higher level of musicianship, yet Mike Joy taught us two techniques which made tremendous impacts on the way we rang...Qigong and Laban Movement Theory.

Qigong is a holistic system of coordinated body postures, movements and breathing. Through Qigong, Mike showed correlations between how we ring and how those who practice Qigong use "flows" to disperse energy throughout the body. As handbell musicians, we talk about "following through" as we ring the bell to make a complete ringing motion. That same principle applies to Qigong. We want to keep the energy flowing. Qigong is a wonderful way to sustain healthy ringing while exploring one of life's more elusive art forms.

Laban is a method for interpreting and describing human movement. Through these movements and gestures we are able to manipulate the sound of a rung bell, which then allows the musician to direct the energy of a passage of music. Laban elevates our art form and produces undeniable musical artistry. It's true. I am a witness! Jason Krug's "Te Recuerdo" depicts a wonderful story of old love finding its counterpart later again in life. Add a little Laban and suddenly you are a bystander in a crowded room watching these two old friends remember what it felt like to once be in love. Laban is a tool that will illuminate the world of handbells forever.

Being a part of a group of eager college musicians all using Qigong and Laban was a wonderful learning experience. Hearing, watching and feeling it transform the music was a completely different experience altogether and a musically defining moment for me.

We had an unpublished music reading session where we were gifted with eight astounding original compositions and arrangements to read. The sight-reading skills that I observed, phenomenal! The quality of the music written, outstanding! The love and support we showed each composer, inspiring! Mike Joy selected Ring-In participant Robert Lamb's amazing arrangement of  "Nearer, My God to Thee" to add to the concert. We rallied behind Robert to achieve a musical connectedness that would take other groups much longer to accomplish. One section we rang without Mike conducting. We were forced to guide each other and work cohesively to express musical passages with our bodies and souls. In those moments we were bonded - held captive by our own creativity.

Young musicians crave moments like these and it's events like College Ring-In that will cultivate those experiences. For me, College Ring-In may be a reaffirmation that handbells rock! For another young musician, it may be they have finally found "that place" in the world...a place filled with so much light and love.  

It is my desire to see College Ring-In continue and become a beacon for all young handbell musicians. Tell everyone you know about this event. Get your young handbell musicians to attend. If we are indeed the "future" of handbells, we'll need a good place to get together and plot. My vote? College Ring-In!

~Marquise Usher

Until next time!

Barbara Meinke
Communications Director
Area 12 Ringers'  Festival Conference
 
June 16-19

The DoubleTree by Hilton
Modesto, CA
     




Early Bird registration begins in February
STAY TUNED!
 
Hit that button on the Jukebox and ink in the dates NOW!

The Early-bird registration is running late; the bird flew east and looped the midwest twice before heading in the right direction to Modesto. Even though the "Early-bird" is late, it has not flown south, so you will have ample time to take advantage of the discount and secure your spot at the handbell table under the direction of Michael Glasgow and Kimberlee Strepka.

Class descriptions are being finalized and online registration will be available soon. When ready, a "hot-flash" email notice will go out so you may make your class selections and room reservations too!

Here is a sampling of things to come!

Class topics range from solo and quartet ringing to working with youth, musicality through motion language, small numbers - small spaces, processing with handbells, music therapy- behavioral science and rehearsals, if handbells grew on trees, and much more! One hot topic is the Bronze Cruisers Ensemble. This elite group of ringers chosen by application will rehearse six pieces with Michael Glasgow and perform selections during a lunch time concert. 

So be prepared to slick back your hair and don those sunglasses, no bubble gum chewing here, because if you blink, you'll miss a note!
Central California - Christine Anderson, Regional Coordinator

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone is rested from the holidays and looking forward to the spring rings in California.
 
Bakersfield Spring Ring
March 12, 2016
                                   St. John's Lutheran Church
                                     4500 Buena Vista Rd

    Tess Houston & Barb Walsh, clinicians.

Cost is $23.00 & includes lunch, raffle, snacks, and one break-out workshop in the am. There will also be a Malmark booth.

Email Dianne Bryant at [email protected] for more info and the music list. 

I'm excited about teaching a class called "Outside the Toolbox": 
What's in your toolbox? What can you do with a pipe cleaner? Find out unconventional "fixes" and tools for repairing your handbells yourself. BRING AILING BELLS to class as well as problems you may have encountered ~ find hidden solutions! This class is for both Malmark and Schulmerich handbells.

Let's have a great turn-out!

Christine Anderson
Central California Regional Coordinator

For information on Central California's concerts, events,
and other opportunities, click here.
Southern California - COULD BE YOU!, Regional Coordinator
Timbré Ensemble

Saturday, Feb. 27

 1 - 4 p.m.

                   7:00 p.m.
   
First Unitarian Universalist Church
4190 Front Street
San Diego, CA 92103

This event is endorsed by Handbell Musicians of America

Saturday, April 16
 
featuring Alex Guebert, conductor

St. Thomas More Catholic Church
Oceanside, CA

Check out registration and repertoire info here!

This event is sponsored by Handbell Musicians of America 



So Cal Region is looking for a coordinator! Won't you please raise your hand?

 
Send email to Mich�le Sharik 
 
 
Southern California Regional Coordinator
This email address IS being monitored!
 
For information on Southern California's concerts, events,
and other opportunities, 
click here. 
   
                            Find us on Facebook                
San Francisco Bay Area - Kendra Scott, Regional Coordinator

April 8-9
Valley Church in Cupertino
Barbara Meinke, conductor


Registration forms are up!Barbara Meinke
Get yours in NOW!
Early Bird deadline is February 15th

If you received a mailer for this event, please note there is a correction to the Intense Ring repertoire. The pieces are Pavane and Galliard by Michael Joy and The Magnificent Seven by Bernstein/arr. Tucker.
Want a great experience?
The sooner we get your registration,
the better event we can plan!

You will find all the information and registration forms for both
the Spring Ring and the Intense Ring at 

Hover over SpringRing in the top right corner of the webpage for a link to more information on class offerings.

This event is endorsed by Handbell Musicians of America 

Happy ringing,

Kendra Scott
Bay Area Regional Coordinator

For information on San Francisco Bay Area's concerts, events,
and other opportunities, click here.

                             Find us on Facebook                 
Southern Nevada - Alison Pruett, Regional Coordinator
 
Last month's 12th Night Handbell Festival was a great success on its first year back! Thank you so much to all the groups who attended. We had over 90 ringers who played wonderfully under the direction of our guest conductor, Barbara Meinke. 



Whether you attended or not, I would love to hear from you about what you'd like to see for future 12th Night Festivals or other events in Southern Nevada. What kind of workshops or classes would you attend if they were offered? Make sure to check the Area 12 Events Calendar for events in Southern Nevada such as workshops, concerts, and, of course, next year's 12th Night Festival.
 
Alison Pruett
Southern Nevada Regional Coordinator

For information on Southern Nevada's concerts, events,
and other opportunities, click here. 
Los Angeles Metro - Scott Leggett, Regional Coordinator
 
I love this time of year as a handbell director and church musician. The absolute craziness of Christmas is over and we get a fresh start to begin in earnest our planning and rehearsing for spring concert season and Lenten and Eastertide music. This is leap year, and LA Metro is leaping ahead to plan our


Saturday, April 23
tentatively at the First United Methodist of Glendale  
Timbré Ensemble

Details and registration information will be out very soon, but please save the date! Check the website calendar for updated information as it is posted. It will be an amazing day with the ringers of Timbr� as our conductors.

This event is sponsored by Handbell Musicians of America

LA Metro is also leaping ahead with the rest of the Area 12 board in planning our summer conference in Modesto and I encourage you all to leap ahead and register as soon as you can.

Lastly, please send me YOUR group's events to post on our Area 12 calendar and Facebook page. People want to hear us play, so help me get YOUR word out!

Happy ringing....and leaping!

Scott Leggett
Los Angeles Metro Regional Coordinator
 
For information on LA Metro's concerts, events,
and other opportunities, click here.
 
                            Find us on Facebook                   
Northern Nevada - Barb Walsh, Regional Coordinator

Howdy!
 
Mark your calendars!
 
14th Annual 
 Sierra Spring Ring
 
April 30th
South Reno United Methodist Church
                                         200 De Spain, Reno.

More details coming soon!

Barbara Walsh
Northern Nevada Regional Coordinator

For information on Northern Nevada's concerts, events,
and other opportunities, click here. 
Hawaii - Karen Carlisle, Regional Coordinator
Karen Carlisle

Aloha!

Things have been busy. I am setting up new programs and expanding my handbell program. It's hard to start and then maintain a program. We all know this. So,  whew! Soon you will hear more of how these programs I am starting have come about; I have a total of 7!  

Well, on another note, we have an upcoming workshop in June.  Yes mark your calendars for

Saturday, June 11!

Michael Glasgow is stopping here on Oahu to do a workshop for us on his way (?) to Area 12's conference in June. Plan to join us!

Mahalo!

Karen Carlisle
Hawaii Regional Coordinator

For information on Hawaii's concerts, events,
and other opportunities, click here.
Northern California - Nancy Schmitt, Regional Coordinator
Nancy Schmitt
 
Hello Northern California,
 
New Year's resolutions come and go but one thing that stays steady is the love of handbell ringing. It is never too early to start planning or saving money to attend your next ringing event whether it be a spring ring (and there are many), the Area 12 Handbell Hop in Modesto, the International Symposium in Vancouver, Canada or last, but not least, the Redding Handbell Festival, which will be October 22 (note date change!). 

We still need a volunteer in the Sacramento area to be a liaison and help me in the followings ways: get information out about what is happening in Sacramento; plan or help others plan workshops or festivals; host a touring bell ensemble. Please contact me if you think you would be interested in this position or to ask questions! 

Please check the Area 12 calendar for events and let me know about your events so I can post them on the calendar. 
 
Happy ringing to you all,

Nancy Schmitt
Northern California Regional Coordinator  

For information on Northern California's concerts, events,
and other opportunities, click here!
International Symposium 2016
click the image for all the details!