Event Details

Maine Spring Ring will be on Saturday, April 27, 2024, at the Auburn Middle School in Auburn, Maine. Our Coppers Director is Mike Joy, a nationally known handbell director, composer and arranger. Tins Director is Joy Toll-Chandler, a long-time ringer, director and composer who currently directs the handbell choir at Cumberland (Maine) Congregational Church. Mike and Joy will share direction of the Massed pieces.

Check-in and set-up will begin at 8:00 am, welcome and opening bell at 8:45, and the ringing will begin at 9:00. We’ll have two rehearsals each for Massed, Tins and Coppers, all ending at 3:35 in preparation for a public concert at 4:00. We will also be offering workshops again this year. See schedule for full details.

Many more details to come on registration, fees, food, lodging, etc. And we’ll make sure you all get those details through emails, Fundamental Tone, and the HMA Area 1 website. But most importantly, here are the music selections for the day.

Ringing Repertoire

We have selected the following pieces for the event. Please purchase and begin rehearsing the music before the Spring Ring. In accordance with the Handbell Musicians of America guidelines, all music used must be original purchased copies. No photocopies will be allowed.

MASSED

Bells of Freedom, Chris Peck (3-6 oct, L3), From the Top Publishing, 20409

Amen Siakudumisa, Cathy Moklebust (3-6 oct, L2), Choristers Guild, CGB1037

Clarion Call, Michael Joy (3-5 oct, L2+), Jeffers Publishing, MCGB864

TINS

Prayer for the Innocents, Michael Helman (3-6 oct, L2+), Lorenz, 20/1964L

And Can it Be, Bill Ingram (3-5 oct, L2), Hope Publishing, 2663

COPPERS

Change Ring Prelude on Divinum Mysterium, Fred Gramann (3-6 oct, L3+), Jeffers Publishing, MLC201239L

Festivity on Cwm Rhondda, Michael Joy (3-6 oct, Level 3+), Jeffers Publishing, MCGB1247

My handbells are all bronze, what's this about tins and coppers?

Handbells are made of bronze, which is an alloy about 20% tin and 80% copper.  Handbell Musicians of America uses 'tins', 'coppers', and 'bronze' to group ensembles or ringers into approximate ringing proficiency levels. The group difficulty is generally self-selected by the group as opposed to assigned from the outside. Tins are typically beginning ringers and groups, just getting started on their handbell journey.  They may feel most comfortable playing music at a difficulty of level 1 or 2. A group progressing in skill will begin using the term coppers to indicate that they are an intermediate level group.  They may feel most comfortable playing level 2-4 music. Bronze level is the term used when referring to groups performing music at a higher difficulty level with strong musicality.  Bronze group most often perform music at difficulty levels 3-6 and beyond.

Workshops

Registrants will receive an email from the event registrar to sign up for the workshops. Space is limited and will be filled on a first-come-first-served basis.  These are the workshops that will be offered.

• Workshop #1 – 10:00 am (TINS)
  Folding a German Bell (Debbie Hillman)

  Take a break from the ringing, enjoy some relaxing social time with your fellow ringers, and learn the art of folding a German bell. German bells are holiday ornaments made from one piece of paper and folded into shape. We’ll have several sizes, colors and patterns of paper available to create the bells you can take home with you. No experience needed!

   

• Workshop #2 – 11:00 am (COPPERS)
  Developing Rhythmic Feeling (Michael Joy)

  Ringers and directors seem to focus on the right notes and rhythms (which ARE important), but many skip a very important part of the process: developing rhythmic feeling. Understanding how different rhythms feel and how one rhythm flows into another is a crucial step in the learning process and helps to make a more musical performance. 

   

• Workshop #3 – 12:45 pm (TINS)
  Stop That Bell (Laura Begenwald)

  Part of the musicality of ringing bells is knowing when NOT to ring them. Composers and arrangers add notations to the music to tell ringers when to let a bell ring, when to stop it ringing, and specifically how to stop it. Learning and practicing these notations are some of the most powerful ways to add dynamics and interest to an arrangement. During this workshop, we review these symbols and practice on bells how to do them effectively.

   

• Workshop #4 – 1:45 pm (COPPERS)
  African Drumming (Kim Visbaras)

  This workshop will introduce participants to a variety of African rhythms using several different percussion instruments, including djembes, congas, agogos, cowbells, wood block, claves, and others. 

Scholarship Information

Scholarships are available on a variety of levels. If you are in need of financial assistance in order to attend this event, please review the scholarship information and application directions on our scholarships page.

HMA AREA 1 COVID-19 VACCINATION POLICY

(Updated 1/26/2023)

PARTICIPANTS & AUDIENCE

Area 1 no longer requires masking for our events for participants or audience members.

All participants and audience members at Area 1 events are strongly encouraged to wear a mask in indoor venues, regardless of their vaccination status. The Area 1 board will revisit this policy and amend it as circumstances change and as required by venue.

DISCLAIMER

By attending/participating, you acknowledge and fully understand the nature and extent of the risk related to the COVID-19 virus and other contagious diseases and agree to attend this event at your own risk. You expressly acknowledge that COVID-19 is highly contagious, and infection can result in death, the risk of infection and transmission are higher in indoor facilities, there are no safety precautions that totally eliminate the risk of contracting COVID-19, and individuals with various underlying medical conditions may experience worse outcomes.

NOTE: Where state, local and/or venue policies vary from the Area 1 policy, the more strict policy will be in effect.