Festival/Conference 2025 Pages
Bronze Ensemble Information
If your ensemble would like to ring as part of the Bronze Division at the 2025 Area 1 Festival Conference (FC25), this information is for you!!! The Bronze division is composed of advanced ringers and is typically the smallest ringing division. Fred Gramann will be directing this division which is represented by ringers with many years of experience, extended sets of bells and chimes, and a desire to ring bronze-level music, which is rated by Handbell Musicians of America as levels 4-6.
The purpose of these guidelines is to ensure a positive experience for all choirs in the Bronze division at FC25 by confirming that all Bronze choirs and individuals share the same desire and ability to achieve the level of musicianship required by the repertoire and the director. The process for FC25 follows the same process we adopted in 2019. Please send any questions to Lisa Arnold.
We recognize that ensembles work very hard to maintain their level of musicianship over the course of their existence, and we believe that if you were good enough in 2022, we trust that you will maintain the same level of preparedness as before.
All ensembles wishing to be a part of the FC25 Bronze Division must fill out the Group Registration form any time before midnight, January 31, 2025. The director and at least half of the ensemble members should also submit their $125 pre-registration deposit prior to the pre-registration deadline (January 31, 2025).
NOTE: In the event of extenuating circumstances, Bronze Ensembles may request Orphan ringers to fill in any gaps. Please contact the Bronze Coordinator (Charles Arnold) for assistance.
Choirs that attended Festival/Conference 2025 in the Bronze Division will NOT need to re-audition, UNLESS:
- Your ensemble has a new director since Festival/Conference 2023 OR
- 50% or more of your ensemble has turned over
The Bronze repertoire selections for FC25 are:
- Serenade, C. Onstead, Evergreen 113
- São Paulo, E. Peters, From the Top 20641
- Prelude & Fugue on Noël Nouvelet, F. Gramann, From the Top 20783
- Walkin’ on Sunshine S. Eithun, Sheet Music Plus, A0.1465088
Submit Your Audition Videos!
Please find below the instructions for submitting your video audition for acceptance as a Bronze Division choir at the upcoming Area 1 Festival Conference. Videos can be submitted anytime between January 1, 2025 and February 15, 2025. Please note that your members will not be able to take advantage of Early Bird Registration until after the ensemble receives the feedback, so it is in your best interest to submit your videos early!
All submitting directors will receive emailed feedback from the committee chair as soon as possible after submission. Content will include an overall performance evaluation along with the score breakdown of each rubric category. An explanation of the audition rubric may be found below. Choirs are solely measured against the rubric and not each other. Should the reviewing committee deem that the submitting choir is not prepared to participate in the Bronze division, the choir may choose to ring in the Coppers division, or may be asked to work on specific issues with an Area 1 mentor, and then submit a new video within four weeks of notification.
In order to continue the high level of musicianship while fostering the learning environment that Area 1 is known for, ensembles that are new to the Bronze Division in 2025 or do not meet the above criteria, the following criteria will be applied:
- Each Bronze Ensemble needing to audition must submit a YouTube video of two songs
–It is preferable to submit at least one piece from the FC25 Bronze repertoire, although not required.
—Audition pieces that are not FC25 repertoire must be Level 4+ or higher. - The recording can be either a rehearsal or a performance, but should be of the highest available audio and video quality.
–The recording shall contain both sound and images in which the choir and director are clearly visible. If multiple cameras are not available, the videographer should position the camera to capture both the choir and director at the same time. Different camera angles for each piece are recommended. - Submitted video will be reviewed by an impartial anonymous committee that will evaluate the performance based on the rubric (see below). You may wish to review and discuss this rubric with your choir before recording and submitting your audition video.
- The ringers on the video SHOULD include all of the ringers who will be registered for FC25, and MAY include up to 3 substitute ringers. When you submit your video, please indicate any known substitute ringers featured in the video who will NOT be attending FC25.
- Orphan ringers ARE permitted in this application process and at the Festival. Any ringer not in the video who is planning to attend FC25 should submit an application to be a Bronze Orphan. They can request to be assigned to your ensemble
- Audition videos must be uploaded to YouTube (See instructions below). Videos should be uploaded as soon as they are prepared, but no later than February 15th, 2025.
- All choirs and directors will receive emailed feedback from the committee chair as soon after your submission as is possible, in order for you to take advantage of the Early Bird Registration. Content will include an overall performance evaluation along with the score breakdown of each rubric category.
- The lowest score is 4; the highest is 16. A choir must score a minimum of 12 to be recommended for the Bronze division.
- Should the reviewing committee deem that the submitting choir is not prepared to participate in the Bronze division, the choir may:
–Choose to ring in the Coppers division.
–Be asked to work on specific issues with an Area 1 mentor, and then submit a new video within 4 weeks of notification.
Bronze Division Audition Rubric
| Points | Musicianship | Tempo | Contact | Assignments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Pitch, rhythm, dynamics and expression are all correct throughout both pieces. |
The repertoire is performed at the tempo marking indicated by the composer |
The choir and the conductor have a high degree of contact. The choir is responsive to the conductor’s gestures with the intended musical results. |
All ringers are playing bell assignments that enable musical success. |
| 3 | Some errors are present in pitch, rhythm, dynamics and expression. Only a few ringers make errors. |
The repertoire is performed at a slightly different tempo marking than indicated by the composer. |
The choir & conductor have a moderate amount of contact. The choir is somewhat responsive to the conductor’s gestures. |
Most ringers are playing bell assignments that enable musical success. |
| 2 | Many errors are present in pitch, rhythm, dynamics and expression. Several ringers make errors. |
The repertoire is performed at a substantially different tempo marking than indicated by the composer. |
The choir seldom responds to the conductor’s gestures. |
Several ringers are playing inappropriate bell assignments and appear unable to resolve some passages. |
| 1 | Errors in pitch, rhythm, dynamics and expression are pervasive in the presentation. |
The repertoire is performed with no regard to the tempo markings indicated by the composer. |
The choir never responds to the conductor’s gestures. |
The assignment of bells impedes a successful and musical performance |
Instructions for Posting Bronze Audition Videos
Videos must be uploaded to YouTube. They can be set to “Unlisted” if you do not want them to be public. Links to the two videos should be emailed to Charles Arnold.
Steps for submitting videos:
- · Log in to your Google account.
- · Visit www.youtube.com
- · Click on the icon in the upper right corner.
- · Select “Upload Video”
- · Choose either “Public” or “Unlisted” from the privacy drop-down box.
- · Select the movie file to upload.
- · Email the links to the videos to Susie Amos at [email protected]
DO NOT remove the video until you hear back from the review committee! If removed prematurely, reviewers will not be able to view your video. If you have any questions regarding the audition process, please contact Charles Arnold.