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E-Notes June 2015

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This Month

Support Handbell Musicians of America through the Pinnacle Silent Auction

Register for Pinnacle and Earn Rewards

Help Us Get Handbells out of the Closet

Register for the June MemberChat

Music Notes from John Behnke

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Please consider helping defray the Guild’s day-to-day expenses
by making a contribution to
THE GENERAL FUND 


Member Rewards

Register for Pinnacle with a friend, and you both receive a $50 discount and special VIP benefits. To get this offer, login to your member account and register for the event using the coupon code VIP. 

 

Featured
Resource

The Care and Feeding of Youth Handbell Choirs

How do we communicate? How do we attract new ringers? How do we generate interest? Learn all about communicating in Michael Glasgow and Kathryn Aspenwall’s “The Structure of the Communication Process in Faith-Based Settings,” free to all Guild members. Handbell Musician Resources>>

If you’ve not yet seen our first ever Virtual Handbell Ensemble, have a look HERE. Help us get as much exposure as possible by commenting and sharing.

 

Help build a pension for the Guild, by contributing to the HERITAGE FUND  
Announcements

NEW MAILING ADDRESSES

Please note that any PAYMENTS sent to the Guild should now go to the following address:

Handbell Musicians of America
PO Box 145400
Mail Location 521
Cincinnati, OH 45250

This includes membership renewal, contributions, event registration payments, invoice payments, etc.

All GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE that DOES NOT include a check payment should should be sent to:

Handbell Musicians of America
201 E. Fifth Street
Suite 1900-1025
Cincinnati, OH 45202

 

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Support Handbell Musicians of America through the Pinnacle Silent Auction

Our annual Silent Auction returns with a twist.  At Pinnacle you will have the opportunity to support Handbell Musicians of America by donating items for the Silent Auction and bidding on items donated.  Plus, YOU decide which fund your contribution will support.  Choose from any of our scholarship funds, the Grant fund, the Heritage Endowment Fund, or select “Area of Greatest Need.”

This year’s auction will close on the final evening of the event and will include a reception of light hors d’oeuvres and cash bar, with entertainment provided by Bell Appeal.

To donate an item, complete the information at the link below and deliver your item to the event registration desk at the Hyatt Regency DFW on Thursday, July 16.

DONATE SILENT AUCTION ITEM

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Register for Pinnacle and Earn Rewards

Pinnacle is just a month away, but it’s not too late to get your registration in.  If you and a friend register before July 1, you will both earn rewards as a Pinnacle VIP.  Here’s what’s included:

  • $50 off the full-event registration fee
  • Priority seating for you and a friend at all Pinnacle concerts.  We will reserve a section of seating just for VIPs.
  • Vouchers good for $10 in purchases from special event cash food outlets available at lunchtime each day of the event.
  • Special offers and discounts from participating HIC vendors including Jeffers Handbell Supply, Lorenz Publishing, Hope Publishing, AGEHR Publishing, and Choristers Guild.
  • One entry in a drawing for a complimentary registration to the national event of your choice in 2016. Choose from National Seminar 2016, Distinctly Bronze West 2016, or Distinctly Bronze East 2016. 

To get this offer, login to your member account and register for the event using the coupon code VIP.  Reward coupons will be included in your welcome packet at the event.

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Help Us Get Handbells out of the Closet

Handbell Musicians of America is offering FREE workshops throughout the country to churches who wish to start (or restart) a handbell program.  During the month of September, our Back to Bells initiative will provide training on the basics of a successful handbell program.  See all the details, including a list of confirmed workshop dates and locations here:

BACK TO BELLS DETAILS

Know of a church with bells in the closet that could benefit from
one of these workshops?

Want to host a workshop at your church?

Email [email protected] for assistance.

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Register for the June MemberChat

Are your Schulmerich instruments in need of a little TLC?  Join Monica McGowan, Schulmerich Authorized Refurbisher for the next Member Chat, Tuesday, June 23 at 11:30 ET, for tips to get your bells sounding and looking their best.

GET THE DETAILS HERE

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Music Notes from John Behnke

Great New Music for 2015

One of our great new pieces in our 2015 New Music Promotion is AG36054 "Rhythmic Praise" by Jason W. Krug, this month’s featured piece. This is a piece was commissioned by the Area 7 Board in honor of their retiring chair Lori Potter. This is a great tradition of Area 7.  Lori was very specific in which she liked.   Jason said, “she specified three of my pieces that she enjoyed, and what, specifically, she enjoyed about them.  That told me exactly what sort of piece she was hoping for, and gave me a great jumping-off point for writing."

The main melody is very catchy and memorable.  Jason says, “I really like the main theme, not so much for the tune itself, but for the energy and driving force the syncopation gives.  The accompaniment and melody both have their own unique syncopations, which line up occasionally, but more often than not play against one another, giving this feel of sort of a playful banter back and forth.  On top of that, while the melody notes themselves are fairly straightforward, the rhythm of the melody isn’t quite what you’d expect, so it catches the listener — and, sometimes, the ringer! — off guard.”

AG36054 "Rhythmic Praise" is well suited for many, many choirs both in and out of church.   Jason says, “The rhythms are tricky at times, but they’re also very repetitive, such that many of them can, if necessary, be taught by rote and then played over and over (the rhythm of the accompaniment figure is a prime example of this — it varies almost not at all for most of the piece).”    It could work really well for a festive church prelude, but it could also be a great concert piece.”

This piece was premiered by the conference choir of Area 7 and has received rave reviews.   Ringers have really appreciated its energy and drive, and thought it was a fun selection to ring.

Jason is a prolific handbell composer.   His creativity and craft in writing have made his handbell music very popular.   We think AG36054 "Rhythmic Praise" will continue this popularity.   It’s a wonderful, fun and memorable piece to play which everyone will enjoy.  

Click on the following link to look and listen to AG36054 "Rhythmic Praise" by Jason W. Krug, one of our great new pieces for 2015.

SEE & HEAR THE MUSIC HERE

Until next month,
John Behnke, Music Editor

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