|
“Michael, whatever you do, just pretend you know about handbells. There’s not much to them, anyway.” That was the advice given to me by a coworker at 20 years old. I was not only a newbie at handbells, but a newbie at life.
I had only been out of college for about eight months and was hating my daily grind at the ad agency. Any job was preferable, so I had responded to an ad for a church music director. Primary responsibilities: directing the Chancel Choir and two handbell ensembles. |
|
I knew I had the choir part in spades; I was very comfortable in front of vocal choirs, and I had a lot of training for that in college. But what was this handbell thing all about?
It’s hard to believe there was a time “pre-YouTube,” but this was it–by eight years–so I couldn’t even check out videos. And Google didn’t even come along until later that year. Turning to the Internet wasn’t really our “default solution.”
|
 |
| I got the job, but like so many musicians, I just had to “figure it out,” not aware of the national organization that had a wealth of resources to offer me.After about six months, I let my former coworker know that he was right: there wasn’t much to this instrument. In fact, I had it “completely figured out” and was looking forward to my first “handbell festival” (whatever that was). There, at a mini-concert given by The Raleigh Ringers, I had my first glimpse into our truly advanced repertoire, and my addiction began in earnest (and I let my friend know that we both had a lot to learn about handbells!).
Fast-forward to 2006. I was working on my Master of Church Music degree at Concordia University Wisconsin. I still didn’t know much about the Guild, but I knew that its National Seminar would be in Milwaukee, right after I was done with my five weeks of summer coursework. I asked my church if I could have extra time to attend the Seminar and was told that, if I got a scholarship, I could go.
I did, and I went. And my life changed almost instantly. I found a group of encouraging, inclusive, fascinating people committed to moving the instrument to an art form I had never even thought of before. My area chair learned I had advertising experience and asked me to edit our Area 3 newsletter (38 issues later, I’m still committed to it). I received my first publishing contract and my first festival invitation within a year. And I began relationships with friends that have truly become a second family.
Nearly ten years later, giving back to the Guild comes naturally to me. In addition to regularly attending and serving at national events, I have supported the Guild as a New Initiatives contributor and Certification instructor. I was an early adopter of the Heritage Fund, to which I make regular monthly contributions. I also contribute to scholarship funds, and I have included our organization in my estate planning through the Legacy Society.
When I think about the doors this organization has opened for me professionally, the marvelous things it has done for me creatively, and the friendships that will endure indefinitely, I can’t help but want to give back. Please join me in making an end-of-year or recurring gift to Handbell Musicians of America and enable our Guild to bring its life-changing instrument to others. |
