Cape Cod Skill-Building Workshop

Cape Cod Skill-Building and Repertoire-Reading Workshops

Date:

Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, 8 AM-3 PM

Location:

Church of the Holy Spirit

204 Monument Road

Orleans, MA

Event Schedule

8:00-8:30 Check in and coffee
8:30-8:50 Welcome and announcements
9:00-10:15 Morning class
10:30-11:45 Morning class
11:45-1:00 Lunch (bring your own brown-bag meal)
1:00-3:00 Afternoon repertoire reading

Contacts

Abigail Schoppe
MA State Chair
Handbell Musicians of America, Area 1
[email protected]
617-676-8055

Susan Schultz
Event Registrar
Handbell Musicians of America, Area 1
[email protected]
978-273-2226

Event Details

Pass the word and mark your calendars for a day of handbell fun! This is a great way to get ringers and directors back in the fall swing of handbell rehearsals and ringing. This two-part event will be filled with a variety of offerings. The morning session will be devoted to skill-building workshops on various topics for all, and the afternoon will be a repertoire-reading workshop, including pieces that will be used at Cape Cod Spring Ring 2025 and Area 1 Festival Conference 2025. Ringers and directors are encouraged to participate in this sightreading event, led by experienced conductor Diane Burke. After the afternoon workshop, music will be available for purchase at a 10% discount, with no shipping charges. What a deal!

Registration

Registration will be open through November 9, 2024.

Clinicians

DIANE BURKE was inspired to take up bellringing by her mom over 30 years ago and began her ringing career with the Sudbury Bellringers of Memorial Congregational Church in Sudbury, MA. She is a charter member of the Merrimack Valley Ringers, an auditioned community choir with which she still currently rings. Diane is the director of the Joyful Ringers at First Church Congregational in Marlboro, MA, the Lincoln Ringers of First Parish in Lincoln, MA, and the Sudbury Bellringers. She has served as clinician for variousArea 1 skill-building workshops and has taught several different class topics at MVR workshops and Area 1 Festivals, as well as classes about handbells outside of the “ringing world.” She is a co-creator of the Acton, MA Fall Skill-Building/Rep-Reading workshop and has either taught or directed there each year since its inception. Diane has served on the Board of the Merrimack Valley Ringers and has served as the Area 1 Board Secretary for 2 terms. When not ringing or directing, Diane competes in ballroom dancing, sings gospel music, supports a menagerie of outdoor critters, and is a passionate fan of NFL football.

EMLEE C. KOHLER (she/her) has been ringing handbells for over 45 years. She discovered her passion for bass bells in 1977, ignoring the old adage “Never ring bells bigger than your head.” Since moving to New Hampshire in the mid ‘90s, Emlee has rung with a number of church groups, the Raleigh Ringers in Virtuoso, several all-star choirs, DBE, DBW, and at both Bay View and Carnegie Hall. She was a founding member of the Granite State Ringers. Emlee is currently ringing with the Back Bay Ringers in Boston, MA and still prefers to ring bells bigger than her head. When she’s not ringing, she solves logic puzzles and is raising two Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppies – who ironically don’t seem to be able to ring a bell when they need to go out.

SUE LEE (she/her) first rang and then directed handbell choirs at a previous church for 15 years, after which she served as Director of Handbell Ministries at St. Matthew’s UMC, Acton, MA, from 1998 to 2004 (just retired). After receiving an undergraduate degree in Music Education from Lowell State College, class of ’67, Sue taught all levels of music – general, choral, and instrumental – before getting her Masters in Elementary Education and becoming a fourth-grade teacher (now retired). She has been a ringer with the Merrimack Valley Ringers, an auditioned community handbell ensemble, since 2006.

Class Descriptions

Handbells 101 (taught by Sue Lee at 9 AM): When partaking in new experiences, we are usually introduced to a lot more than our brain can take in at the time. With practice, we start to develop skills. But are those skills well defined or are you developing bad habits? This class is designed to be an important review for ringers of all levels, from beginners to masters. We will review the basics with the current theories of ringing and damping, using the body and not just the hands, and how to look good when ringing. We will also discuss and practice changing bells, and how to decide “when to hold ’em and when to fold ’em.” You are never too old or too professional to review the ABCs of anything.
Should I Just Weave It? (taught by Emlee Kohler at 9 and 10:30 AM): Do you struggle when a musical passage requires you to play 3 or more bells (or chimes) in a row? Would you like to play these passages more smoothly and be able to repeat what works? Come learn about how/when to “weave!” We will also discuss where to place bells, chimes, and mallets for quick changes and how to mark the music so you can make it all happen more than once.
Treble Magic (taught by Diane Burke at 9 and 10:30 AM): There’s more to ringing handbells than just having your usual 2 in your hands! What if you have to make a quick change to a sharp or flat, or you want to add an upper octave to your treble assignment, or you can help your neighbor by ringing one of their bells? In this class, we’ll discover the basics and versatility of four in hand in the treble clef. Take these skills home and dazzle your fellow ringers!
Small Ensembles (taught by Sue Lee at 10:30 AM): It used to be that you needed more than 8 ringers to form a handbell choir: eight ringers for a 2-octave choir or 11-13 ringers for 3-5 octave choirs. However, sometimes you may only have 4 or 5 ringers. What can you do? Form a small ensemble! Composers are now writing exciting music for 3, 4, 5, or 6 ringers. We will focus on 8- and 12-bell music and how to assign bells for the same piece with different numbers of ringers or for ringers with less or more experience.

Food

Snacks will be provided, and attendees should feel free to bring bag lunches.

Registration Information

Ringers can attend as individuals or as part of a larger choir, and attendees do not need to bring their own equipment.

Registrant Type	Registration Fees
Half-Day	$15
Full-Day	$25

Youth ringers are welcome! Please register at least one Adult as a chaperone for every ten registered ringers under the age of 18.

What to Bring

Participants need only bring gloves and a split-back binder, if possible. Snacks will be available, but you may also wish to bring a bag lunch.

Cancellation Policy

Cancellations may be made by contacting the Area 1 Registrar via email at [email protected]. Refunds will be issued for cancellations submitted before November 14, 2024 in the amount charged less a $2 processing fee. No refunds can be issued after that date.

Scholarships Available

Scholarships are available on a variety of levels for members of the Handbell Musicians of America and the ensembles they direct. If you are in need of financial assistance in order to attend this event, please review the scholarship information and application directions on the scholarships page of the Area 1 website.