1. WHEN, WHERE, and HOW did you get started in handbells?
I first heard a handbell choir play in 1956 or 57, when Bob Hieber from Battle Creek, Michigan brought his choir of junior and senior high school boys to Union Seminary for a demonstration. I thought that bell ringing was a big gimmick. “I will never use handbells”, I said to my classmates.
About 2 years later, in my position as Minister of Music at Trinity Methodist Church in Newport News, Virginia, I discovered that the males in my high school singing choir - who, at one time could read music, had lost their reading ability because while they went through voice change, they participated in sports and not music. I thought to myself that it would be great to have them find an activity which would keep them reading music so that when they got into high school, they would be able to keep up with the girls. Consequently, I talked the church into buying a set of Whitechapel bells. We got three octaves, I think. I remember that it took about 18 months for them to arrive from England - a very long time for us to wait. About the same time, a church in Norfolk, Virginia had a purchased a set of Schulmerich Handbells. They didn’t sound very good to me, and I thought I would never use them. I only mention this to show how changeable we all are. Later, I completely reversed my position.
I remember attending the first convention/festival in St. Louis, Missouri. What an eye-opening experience that was. There was a choir that rang from real music - even eighth notes - from memory. I couldn’t believe it! We were using simple chordal music in my church. Another memory was of hearing the Potomac Ringers from Washington, DC. They were directed by Nancy Poore Tufts, who later became the President of AGEHR and who used large charts and a pointer. Her ringers read alphabet letters, not notes.
Later, when I was living in Berkeley, CA, we started a choir of two octaves. We attended the first California festival, which was in Santa Barbara. I think there may have been 10 choirs there, but I’m not sure. It was a meager beginning - probably not more than 120 ringers - if that many.
2. WHAT FORMAL MUSICAL TRAINING did you have prior to working with handbells?
I have a Bachelor of Science in Music Education (emphasis on Choral Conducting) from the University of Idaho and a Master of Sacred Music from Union Theological Seminary, New York City. I have done further graduate work in Europe through the University of Oregon and at Northwestern University - all of this was prior to beginning to work with handbells.
3. WHAT is your favorite handbell composition, and WHY is this work meaningful to you?
I don’t have a favorite handbell composition. Composing for handbells keeps developing so much. Some of my favorites are: Sharon’s Song by Donald Allured because it helped us to learn about phrasing and legato playing - something which we hear very rarely these days, I think; Textures by Everett J. Hilty because it gave us new sounds and “textures” for bells; John Bartsch’s compositions - particularly an untitled piece for Harp and handbells which he wrote for the Bells of the Cascades - also Spirit Wind; Arabesque by Debussy (now arranged by Kodama, but we played it from the piano score) because my choir played it for national and did a bang-up job; Reflections by Betty Garee because it provides a sense of movement and inner beauty.
4. WHAT ADVICE would you give to someone who is just starting to work with handbells?
I gained the most help and knowledge by attending - and giving - workshops on handbell techniques. I would strongly urge new directors to attend as many as possible and to have their ringers attend as many as possible. One of my pet peeves with handbell ringing - and it has been from the beginning - is that director’s and audiences are more impressed with speed and loud ringing than they are with phrasing, legato playing, and understanding the inner spirit of the music. Therefore, I would advise beginning conductors to study the score, to learn what the composer was trying to express, to develop ways of dealing with the “give and take”, “stress and release” and worry less about showmanship.
5. HOW LONG have you been a member, and WHAT has The AGEHR meant to you?
Part of this is answered in #1. I think my membership actually began in 1959, but I’m not sure - at any rate it was a long time ago. AGEHR was a very dominant/major part of my life (and my family’s life) for many years - particularly when I was on the National Board. I was fortunate to be involved with the early years of AGEHR and helped to form some of the policies upon which we are founded. Attending either a Regional or a National Convention was always part of the program for my handbell choirs - for many years. These gatherings gave my program a focus.
It seems to me, in retrospect (isn’t hindsight 20/20 vision?) that AGEHR grew too rapidly, and we did not know enough about seeking outside professional help. As a result, there have developed political camps in support of one person or another, or in support of one school of playing or another, and so forth. Also, directors have worked hard at protecting their own work and not sharing ideas fully. I’m not particularly happy or unhappy, at this place in my life, to admit to having been a part of AGEHR. I had hoped that we, as an organization, would have included former officers - not because of their “former officer-ness,” but because of their experience - similar to grandparents. ACDA includes all of their past presidents in a council which always meets at the time of the annual meeting of their board - and which gives a report to their board. I think AGEHR could benefit from that type of thing.
6. WHAT POSITION(S) have you held in The AGEHR, and WHEN did you serve in each position?
The first position I remember is Chairman of Area IX (before it became Area XII), and then Chairman of Area XII (must have been about 1978 - Ginny Fleming referred to that in her article in the last Twelfth Tone, but I can’t find it). I believe that I am the only person who was Chairman of two Areas without changing jobs or residences. Of course, prior to any of that, I was active on several committees doing planning for local and regional festivals, I was elected to be President-elect of AGEHR in 1987 and succeeded Linda McKechnie as President in 1989 and then, of course, Immediate Past President in 1991.
7. WHAT FUTURE do you see for handbells? More to the point, WHAT do you think MUST HAPPEN in order to elevate handbell ringing to the level of public support and recognition enjoyed by community orchestras, choral ensembles, and the like?
It is difficult to know what we can do in order to bring handbells into the real arena of “acceptable” music - similar to choruses and orchestras which are supported by local communities. We need to get away from playing music which is either: 1) too showy with little content or 2) arranged from some other medium. SONOS has tried to lead the way and is, apparently, succeeding to some extent. I think we need to encourage the composition of a whole lot more music for handbells that is “unique” but not necessarily “avant garde”, that is easily understood without being trite or simple, and something which sings with beautiful phrasing, exciting harmonies and which will challenge the listeners’ ears and minds.
As I have pondered this last question a little more, it seems to me that we might have to get to the point of having many more ringers in an organization than we do now - similar to the manner in which some Japanese conductors have developed their groups. After all, an orchestra has several violinists - why shouldn’t a handbell group have many more ringers. By doing that, we could perhaps develop the ability to perform deeper and larger works. I would have to think more about that. - Dick Coulter
