Fundamental Tone

category! They just need your membership number to join. With that category, they will be on our email list so they’ll get all the latest info about Area 1 events, plus they’ll get National’s E-Notes and the Event Calendar, and their own copy of Overtones. The best resource available to members and
sub-members is the Members Only section of the website. All members have access to a wealth of information, including past Member Chats, (playing bell trees, avoiding injuries, playing the National Anthem at sporting events, and much more), Member Notes, and past issues of Overtones.

Finally, don’t forget about our upcoming Spring Rings! I’m proud to say that every state in New England is hosting a Spring Ring this year! Be sure to look them up in this issue of Fundamental Tone. They are a day of fellowship and fun for ringers at all skill levels. I remember fondly my first Spring Ring in Maine about 10 years ago, where I met many of the handbell people that are my closest friends today. If you haven’t been to a Spring Ring, what’s holding you back? They’re a blast!

Please spread the word to your ringers and friends about all the things that are happening! As always, if you have any comments or questions, I can be reached at [email protected]. I’m looking forward to seeing you at a concert near you!

Happy ringing!

Carlene

Carlene Ruesenberg
Area 1 Chair
Handbell Musicians of America
[email protected]

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Area 1 Board

The Area 1 board members are here to provide organization and direction to advance the musical art of handbell/handchime ringing through education, community, and communication. If you have any Area 1 business, ideas for festivals or workshops or questions about handbells in general we are happy to help in any way we can.  The board members are listed below for ease of contact.  For business related to your state, feel free to contact your state chair.

Executive Committee (Elected Positions)

Appointed Officers

Standing Committee Chairs + Ex-Officio Positions

Asterisk (*) indicates that this position is not a voting member of the board of directors. Per by-laws, these positions report to the chair elect, and must be members of the Handbell Musicians of America.

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Notes from Maine

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Notes from New Hampshire

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Notes from Vermont

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Inspire vs. Expire

by Steve Mazeau

The first bell choir I joined expired after about three years when the director moved away. My search for alternatives began in the yellow pages of the phone book under “churches.” This set in motion a series of transitions as I went, for one reason or another, from bell choir to bell choir. While this might seem to be a problem, I found that at each of these different places I was inspired by the different people I met, the styles and techniques they were using and the different music they employed. The Handbell Musicians of America “Back to Bells” program is really all about this Inspire / Expire dynamic. When the bells disappear into a closet or attic, that’s the expire part of it. This is a bad thing. But don’t panic; they’re not dead, just sleeping. Nor is the inspirational part of the program just limited to our “beautiful dreamers.” I feel that each of us, regardless of our skills and experience, and regardless of where our program may currently be at, can take away a little bit of inspiration from a program like Back to Bells, even when we least expect it.

I recently had the pleasure to be part of a Back to Bells program, led by Rick Wood at the First Church of Bethlehem in Bethlehem, Connecticut. The program comes with a 43 page, spiral bound, workshop curriculum booklet. The booklet covers a little bit of everything and obviously a great deal of time was spent putting it together. It explains everything from basic ringing techniques and note values to how to set up your rehearsal room and techniques for recruiting new ringers. Have you ever taken a handbell apart to try to resolve a mechanical problem? It’s really not as bad as dissecting a frog in Biology class, but it immediately crosses over into the do-able column when you see someone actually doing it. The booklet includes a section on “Troubleshooting Common Problems” along with information on where you can go if you want to learn more. There are also suggestions in the booklet for repertoire for newer ringers as well as fewer ringers.

But Back to Bells isn’t just about the booklet and the curriculum, it’s also about the people. Rick Wood obviously has a wealth of knowledge and experience to call upon when it comes to handbell related topics. Rick also took the time to contact each of the Back to Bells participants before the program to see what they wanted to focus on. When we were all done, he also emphasized the fact that he’s only a phone call or e-mail away if anyone needs help in the future.

Back to Bells is really just part of the larger story. There are so many ways to participate and be inspired. Area 1 is also lucky to have programs like the Family Friends Handbell Camp, all the different Spring Ring events, the High School Ring Out, the Festival Conference, Snag-a-Sub, Skill Building Workshops, and so on. Behind each of these programs are dedicated people who want to see your program succeed. When you take part in these programs you meet people, much like yourself, each looking for something, and each carrying with them a little bit of inspiration that they can pass on to you. I had the pleasure to meet Joanne Archibald and several of her group from St. James Episcopal Church in Danbury at the Back to Bells event. Equally important, believe it or not, you also carry with you a bit of inspiration that will be passed on to them,and it will happen when you aren’t even expecting it!

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