Cencal Newsletter August 2008

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Cencal Handbell Newsletter

AGEHR Area XII
August 2008
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in this issue

Shirley's Sharings

Ring Winter Bells - Youth Event

Low Ding Zone Auditions

Cruise of the Bells

Back to Ringing Workshop

Distinctly Bronze Comes to the West Coast

Redding Handbell Festival

Opus Jump-Start Workshop

LA Metro Fall Ringer's Workshop

Events Far and Wide

. I am still trying to match names & email addresses. I have ten names that are bouncing each month, yet, I know the email addresses are correct. I feel the problem is with your server or perhaps your spam filter is thinking the newsletter is spam.

Those who are receiving this newsletter, I'd appreciate your forwarding a copy to all the bell ringers in your choir. If any of your ringers would prefer to receive their own copy of this newsletter, their name & email addresses can be sent to me and I will add them to the list. Please be aware that this information is for AGEHR use only. Our goal is to have 100% of our members on this list. Membership in AGEHR is not required to receive the enews.

The more information communicated, the better. We want everyone to know about workshops, concerts and conferences happening throughtout Area XII.

Thanks for your help!

Shirley

Shirley's Sharings

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Dear Handbell Friends: Youth Choir

August is upon us and many of you are still attending festivals & conferences, while other choirs are gearing up to begin rehearsals again and directors are busy choosing music for the Fall.

A reminder that on September 27 & 28th, AGEHR, Area XII will be holding their semi-annual Board Meeting. If you have any matters that you would like brought up at this meeting, please let me know and I will take your questions or concerns to this meeting.

It's been a fun summer for me, as I was able to attend the Riverside Conference and the Zephyr Point Handbell Conference at Lake Tahoe.

Zephyr was an especially fun conference, as there were many surprises for Mary Balkow, the wonderful lady who started this conference 20 years ago

It began with two choirs, 24 ringers. As I understand it, all these choirs were from Presbyterian Churches and were invited yearly to attend. The word got out, and other handbell ringers wanted to be part of this event. Well, you know the rest of the story, in that this event now hosts 100 ringers and there's always a waiting list.

There is a wonderful and extremely talented staff that help make this conference successful. I'd like to offer my thanks to Sue Coddington-Allen, Ken Collins, Nadene Donner, Tess Houston, Vera Refnes, Jennifer Taylor and Barbara Walsh. They provide various classes, coaching and teach the Ensemble groups and are there to help ringers in whatever way they can. They are also very talented musicians that make up "Sympathy Orchestra" to accompany the ringers.

Over the years, there have been many co-directors. This year, Dr. James Smith, from Houston, TX, returned to help honor his friend, Mary. Jim is also a noted composer and arranger of handbell music.

One of gifts Mary received, was a Commissioned piece of music from the staff and participants of the 2008 Conference. "Canticle to The Creator God",

was arranged by Jim Smith. It was quite moving when we rang this music, honoring this special lady, with a wonderful smile, a wonderful sense of humor, and always so patient with us.

Another surprise for Mary was a song performed by those ringers participating in the "Follies" on Wednesday afternoon. This lyrics of this song were written by Ken Collins and Vera Refnes. The title, "Mary's Song", by Harry Dacre and arranged by Jim Smith is to the tune of, "A Bicycle Built for Two".

There are six verses to this song, and I'd like to share the last verse with you. Mary, Mary, we're so in love with you! We look forward to this great rendezvous! We learn as we ring together, Our caps they gain one more feather! We thank you now, So please take a bow, You're one great gal through and through!

On a personal note to Mary Balkow, thank you so much for all you do. God has certainly blessed this conference with you as the leader and all who have the pleasure of knowing you.

Happy Ringing

Shirley

AMERICAN GUILD OF ENGLISH HANDBELL RINGERS

AREA XII - LOS ANGELES METRO REGION

Presents

RING, WINTER BELLS

A Handbell Event for Youth &

High School Ringers

         Directors: Choose the "course" that fits your choir!

                Saturday, January 24, 2009
                9:30am - 3:30pm
               St. Callistus Catholic Church and School
               12921 Lewis Street, Garden Grove, CA 92840
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                  "Ski" Instructors (Clinicians):

       Barbara Walsh, Single Diamond
       Rudy Rodriguez,Double Diamond Course

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                         Single Diamond Course
                           O Come, All Ye Faithful
                           arr. Linda Lamb, Ringing Word,
                            RW8104, 2-3 octaves, level 2

                           Ring Together Christmas
                           arr. Kevin McChesney
                          JHS9234, 2-3 octaves, level 1
                             - Good King Wenceslas

- We Three Kings

                           O Come, Little Children
                           arr. Susan Geschke
                           AG23018, 2-3 octaves, level 3-.

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Double Diamond Course

Use handchimes when called for in the music,if available

                      3 to 5 octaves, Level 3

                      The Wexford Carol
                      by H. Dean Wagner, Agape MHP2166,
                      3 to 5 octaves, Level 3
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                 Cost: (includes lunch)
                 AGEHR Members: $25.00 per ringer
                 Non-members: $30.00 per ringer
                 After January 11, add $5.00 per ringer

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Registration Materials and additional information will be available online at www.areaxii.org by September 1st, 2008 or by mail. For more information contact: Debbie Shaw, LA Metro Regional Coordinator at lametro@areaxii.org or 562-423-1040

FUN NOTE: This event is located less than 4 miles from Disneyland.
Group discount tickets to Disneyland and/or lodging can be arranged if there is sufficient interest.

Low Ding Zone Auditions

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Palo Alto, CA Low Ding Zone

Low Ding Zone, the World's First Bass Handbell Ensemble and a part of Bay Bells, Inc. (soon to be Handbell Ventures), is having auditions for the 2008-2009 season

.
Where: Grace Lutheran Church, 3149 Waverly St., Palo

Alto, CA Brown Hall (enter by the doors on Loma Verde Ave.)

When: Sunday, September 14, 2008, 3:30 p.m.

Particulars:
- Required skills: Bass ringing (bells and chimes), willingness to try new techniques, high "ham" quotient. Some possible percussion involved.

Previous ensemble ringing experience a definite plus. Creativity and low

sanity quotient even bigger plusses.

- If you let us know what other musical skills you have, chances are we'll find some bizarre way to incorporate them into what we do. Well, if you're game..

- You'll be performing with us in concerts, both on our own and as part of a "bass support" unit to help other ensembles.

- You'll get the opportunity to teach with LDZ as part of a complete clinician package for handbell workshops.

- And: you'll have a great time!

If you'd like to audition, please send a reply to larry@choraegus.com and

tell us why you would make a great addition to the Low Ding Zone team.

We need to hear from you by Sunday, September 7, 2008 so we can

anticipate getting together!

CRUISE OF THE BELLS

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The Cruise of the Bells-10 is scheduled for January 3-10, 2009. This will be a 7-day Eastern Caribbean Cruise, via Holland America Line. The Guest Clinician will be David M. Harris, Director of the internationally recognized Raleigh Ringers, based in Raleigh, NC.

For more information, visit www.azumano.combells, or write Bells of the Cascades, PO Box 151, Tualatin, OR 97062.

Back to Ringing Workshop ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Get
Spring Ring 2008

Get back into the "ring" of things this fall with a Back-to- Ringing workshop with Michele Sharik. In just three 3 hour sessions you'll be ready to tackle another season of ringing, charged up, and raring to go!

When: Saturdays on September 6, 13, 27 from 9 a.m to noon.

Location: Grace Lutheran church, 3149 Waverley Street in Palo Alto.

Cost: $95.00 (for 3 three hour sessions)

Clinician for both workshops is Michele Sharik, handbell solo artist, teacher, and clinician in the Bay Area. She is also an accomplished composer, arranger, and publisher. She directs handbell choirs at Sunnyvale Presbyterian church and Trinity Episcopal Church in Menlo Park. She is a member of Sonos Handbell Ensemble, Sonos Quartet, and Bronzewood Paedeia, a harp and handbellduo.

For more information, log onto Bay Bells.

Distinctly Bronze Comes to the West Coast

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Spring Ring 2008 For those advanced and enthusiastic ringers, who can never get enough ringing, the first Distinctly Bronze West Coast Event will be held February 12-15, 2009, at Kitsap Conference Center in Bremerton, Washington. David Davidson, who has directed the East Coast Distinctly Bronze for the past 10 years, will be the conductor. Registration information will be available in September 2008. See the AGEHR website for more information. AGEHR National plans to be rolling out a new online registration service for the DB West Event.