Class Descriptions for
2008 Adult Festival Conferences in Ocean City
March 7-8, 2008

This class will focus on the basic music theory facts that are essential to being a good handbell ringer.  Worksheets and handouts will be provided.

We will look at the topics of conducting syncopation, unusual meters, and multiple meters.  After an initial discussion of the skills required, class participants will conduct short exercises that will help them develop their technique in these areas.  If possible, have one or two of your best readers join us to play the drills.  This class assumes you can conduct the common metrical patterns, preps and releases.

Directors are requested to attend the forum as a special opportunity to bring directors together with members of the Area III Board and State Chairs. During this brief get-together, we want to hear your views/input and share with you the work that your Area III Board is doing for membership and event-planning.  Plans are being made to celebrate Area III's 50th year as part of AGEHR by focusing on launching into the future with children and youth!  Many changes are being worked on as we continue defining the job descriptions and delegation of responsibility. This time together is proving to be invaluable for net-working with other directors and establishing more resources.  See you there!

Bass ringers usually attract the most attention in any bell performance—often for the wrong reasons.  This class will refine bass ringers' techniques from the basic to the advanced.  Participants will get a chance to ring bells larger than they usually do and will acquire some tips and tricks for changing their bass bell ringing from athletic to elegant.

By the time ringers have reached an intermediate level they have mastered all the standard techniques.  Becoming a bronze ringer involves learning techniques that are rarely taught, seldom expressed, and never notated.  This hands-on class will examine a few of these skills in the context of some standard repertoire.  At the end of the class the ringer will learn how to integrate their skills into the ensemble as a whole and begin the transformation into a bronze ringer.

This class is open to all ringers and directors who would like to learn the basic techniques of conducting. No previous conducting experience is required. Anyone who is interested in leading a handbell group at any level is welcome. Participants will learn all the basic beat patterns as well as other important information needed when conducting a handbell ensemble. Please bring your gloves, mallets and music stand binders.

In this class you will discover the art of change ringing.  We will take an interactive journey from the Washington National Cathedral Ringing Chamber back to our classroom.  Experience the history and theory of change ringing on this journey.  We will take a brief look at the cross and stretch method and progress to real change ringing on handbells.  Participants of this class will receive an open accompanied invitation to visit the Washington National Cathedral and the opportunity to expand your new knowledge.

Did you know that people actually listen to your ringing with their eyes? Does your ringing technique lack finesse? Come review the basics!! We will focus on clean healthy ringing as well as stopped techniques. Bring your mallets, gloves, and your festival music.

Are you in a community handbell ensemble?  Do you conduct a community handbell ensemble?  Are in interested in learning more about community handbell ensembles?  Come, bring your questions and comments to the forum to discuss, question and celebrate the musical opportunities provided by community handbell ensembles.

This class is a “hands on/feet on” experience in rhythm and movement.  No special equipment is needed for this class.  Just come and prepare to move around and have fun.  In this class, you’ll learn a simple combination of movements to get you to feel the music, change your weight smoothly and to look and feel comfortable and graceful.  Join us as we learn to internalize the rhythms as we transition from one move to the next.  Relax, have fun and feel the music: 5  6  7  8…..

We will look at the topics of conducting changes in dynamics, the ritardando, accelerando and abrupt changes of tempo.  After an initial discussion of the skills required, class participants will conduct short exercises that will help them develop their technique in these areas.  If possible, have one or two of your better ringers join us to play the drills.  This class assumes you can conduct the common metrical patterns, preps and releases.

The purchase of a handbell set is just the beginning.  There will always be maintenance issues.  In this class we will address how to get the best sound possible from the bells through proper adjustment and then onto the actual maintenance and repair of both Schulmerich and Malmark handbells.

This class is for both ringers and directors who would like to pick up points on how to successfully sightread new handbell literature. We will look at examples of music at every level of difficulty. Tips on how to approach a new piece including helpful exercises, bell switching, bell assignments and page turns will be discussed. Input from all class participants will be encouraged. Please bring your gloves, mallets and music stand binders.

Do you ever feel like you’re only playing the notes on the page and not necessarily making music?  Or perhaps you are making music, but still feel you’re missing that personal touch?  Through musical examples, exercises, and resources, this class will provide techniques to help develop personal connections to your music.

After a brief introduction including a short definition and short history of massage, we will discuss the benefits, cost, and what to expect from massage.  We will then learn breathing and stretching exercises as well as do some partner hand massages.

Understanding and Coping With Whiners, Know-It-Alls, and Other Frustrating People
This class provides “user friendly” information to enhance the participants understanding of typically provocative personalities encountered at home, work and other places, including bell rehearsals! Participants will be presented with an overview of several difficult personality styles and participants will acquire creative and practical techniques (since strangling the, is NOT an option) to effectively de-escalate interpersonal conflict and negotiate with irritating people.

Do you feel like a pretzel after a couple of bell changes and a bunch of accidentals? Fear not! Weaving will solve all your pretzel issues… Bring your gloves, but leave the mustard behind!

Time to get up and move!  We will be moving to the beat and exploring the connection between movement and ringing.  You will take a new understanding of rhythm and steady beat back to the bell table.  No coordination required.  Just bring your sense of humor and willingness to have fun!

Looking for a new piece of music for your ensemble?  The repertoire for this class will include selections suitable for both churches and schools.  Newly published music as well as a few gems that may have fallen under the radar will all be explored!

Ringing mixed meters and many techniques musically can be very challenging for directors and ringers alike.  Come for an hour filled with challenges! Please bring your binder and mallets.

In Area III we are fortunate to have a large group of “resident” composer whose works are being published by major publishers.  We are featuring at least one piece by as many of these composers as possible.  These pieces run the gamut from easy to advanced and styles from worship to concert pieces.  Come and enjoy ringing some wonderful pieces written by your friends and “neighbors”!  Be sure to bring your mallets.

This class is designed for both the ringer and director to explore more advanced handbell notation and techniques.  In this class you will learn the more advanced techniques, such as dynamics, musical line, and techniques not covered in Ringing 101.    Along with learning the techniques, repertoire and games will be introduced to reinforce your new or improved skills.

After a short review of basic 4iH techniques, you will learn specific directions for Traveling 4iH, demonstrating with musical examples and assisting class participants to understand the concept and implement it themselves, first with a single melody line, then with more than one tone played simultaneously.  The remaining time will be to demonstrate and teach holding 6iH and give opportunities to practice with musical examples.

If you are new to the world of handbell ringing or just wish to reevaluate your techniques to make sure you haven’t developed some “bad habits” over the years, this class is for you.  All techniques used in treble ringing will be covered as well as weaving and four-in-hand setups.  Ideas for simple problem solving will be discussed, such as ringing single bells in a shelly or four-in-hand setup as well as the concept of SHARING bells. Bring your festival music and gloves.

Ned Davis

So is “wacking” a bell the right way to do a martellato or should we ask “how high is a taco?”  Ever wonder what a dot with an arrow above it means or maybe you just like to beat on things.  Whatever your poison, we won’t “stop” you from having fun learning how to perform all types of stopped bell techniques.  So bring your mallets and join us for some “Whack” and roll fun!

What do all those black marks on the page really mean?  As ringers, it will help if you know what is indicated on the printed page, and how to follow a melodic line. Are you familiar with "voicing lines"?  Did you know that bells even have voices?  This class should help you become a better ringer. Bring your festival music with you!

In this class we will have a typical rehearsal for elementary age children, giving suggestions for teaching each piece.  As we do this, we will discuss disciplines skills, teaching techniques, communication ideas, and other related subjects.  Please bring ringing notebooks and gloves.

Directors are requested to attend the forum as a special opportunity to bring directors together with members of the Area III Board and State Chairs. During this brief get-together, we want to hear your views/input and share with you the work that your Area III Board is doing for membership and event-planning.  Plans are being made to celebrate Area III's 50th year as part of AGEHR by focusing on launching into the future with children and youth!  Many changes are being worked on as we continue defining the job descriptions and delegation of responsibility. This time together is proving to be invaluable for net-working with other directors and establishing more resources.  See you there!

Bass ringers usually attract the most attention in any bell performance—often for the wrong reasons.  This class will refine bass ringers' techniques from the basic to the advanced.  Participants will get a chance to ring bells larger than they usually do and will acquire some tips and tricks for changing their bass bell ringing from athletic to elegant.

By the time ringers have reached an intermediate level they have mastered all the standard techniques.  Becoming a bronze ringer involves learning techniques that are rarely taught, seldom expressed, and never notated.  This hands-on class will examine a few of these skills in the context of some standard repertoire.  At the end of the class the ringer will learn how to integrate their skills into the ensemble as a whole and begin the transformation into a bronze ringer.

This class will discuss and demonstrate how to create a higher level of musical performance by going “beyond the notes”. This will be demonstrated with the participants ringing music of various levels of difficulty and will be approached from both the ringer’s and the director’s perspective. Input from all participants will be encouraged. Be prepared to have fun and create music. Please bring your gloves, mallets, and music stand binders.

Almost everything you needed to know about music theory but were afraid: (pick an answer) 1) to ask, 2) of the teacher, or 3) of the class. The purpose of the class is to make practical application of music theory in teaching handbell music.  The class will emphasize sight reading and music fundamentals: key signatures and tonality (what is THAT key?), time signatures (what they REALLY mean and how to conduct the “beat”), rhythmic patterns (how to work through a difficult rhythm, break it down and make it SIMPLE), finding resources for music drills (do it YOURSELF!), analysis of sections and form (putting the pieces of the PUZZLE together).

Time to get up and move!  We will be moving to the beat and exploring the connection between movement and ringing.  You will take a new understanding of rhythm and steady beat back to the bell table.  No coordination required.  Just bring your sense of humor and willingness to have fun!

Ringing mixed meters and many techniques musically can be very challenging for directors and ringers alike.  Come for an hour filled with challenges! Please bring your binder and mallets.

There are approximately two dozen published composers who are residents of Area III.  In this class we will introduce pieces written by half of these persons.  Please bring notebooks and gloves.

Exciting repertoire using Levels 1 – 3.  Bring your book, gloves, mallets & a pencil.

This class is designed for both the ringer and director to explore basic handbell and chime notation and techniques.  In this class you will learn everything you need to know, starting with the history of ringing  and ending with stopped techniques and fun repertoire that explores the techniques we just learned.  This class has been designed for the day old ringer to the ringer that wants to refresh the basics.

This class is designed for both the ringer and director to explore more advanced handbell notation and techniques.  In this class you will learn the more advanced techniques, such as dynamics, musical line, and techniques not covered in Ringing 101.    Along with learning the techniques, repertoire and games will be introduced to reinforce your new or improved skills.

After a short review of basic 4iH techniques, you will learn specific directions for Traveling 4iH, demonstrating with musical examples and assisting class participants to understand the concept and implement it themselves, first with a single melody line, then with more than one tone played simultaneously.  The remaining time will be to demonstrate and teach holding 6iH and give opportunities to practice with musical examples.

Primarily for ringers, this class will focus on several tried and true methods for learning a piece of music prior to playing it.  Ideas for reviewing music prior to a performance will also be discussed.  Please bring your notebooks, festival music and gloves.

Come learn anew or review the many ways to make stopped sounds with handbells and handchimes! Bring your gloves, festival music and mallets with you. Other musical examples will be provided as we experiment with making MUSICAL stopped sounds!

Just like a house or a car, the purchase of handbells is only the beginning.  There will always be maintenance issues.  In this class we will address how to get the best sound possible from the bells through proper adjustment and then onto the actual maintenance and repair of both Schulmerich and Malmark handbells.

If you are new to the world of handbell ringing or just wish to reevaluate your techniques to make sure you haven’t developed some “bad habits” over the years, this class is for you.  All techniques used in treble ringing will be covered as well as weaving and four-in-hand setups.  Ideas for simple problem solving will be discussed, such as ringing single bells in a shelly or four-in-hand setup as well as the concept of SHARING bells.  Bring your festival music and gloves.

Do your young ringers keep ringing throughout high school?  Do you want to find ways of keeping them involved in the handbell program?  There will be lots of ideas and discussion on keeping teenagers ringing.