Crescendo (formerly Reaching for Bronze) is an event for intermediate ringers. This companion to Distinctly Bronze (DB) East will give participants the opportunity to ring DB repertoire and perform with the DB choirs on their final concert. The event schedule includes time for rehearsals and skill-building workshop sessions. Crescendo 2025 will be led by conductor, Pamela (P.L.) Grove. Registration is $295, and participants must be members* of Handbell Musicians of America. The fee includes lunch on Sunday, and an event polo shirt. Registration is limited to 26 intermediate handbell ringers and the event sells out annually. A waitlist is kept in case of any cancellations. Please review the cancellation policy at the bottom of the page.
Distinctly Bronze: Renaissance
The loss of handbell friends over the past several years has generated immense sadness throughout the handbell world. These individuals performed, conducted, and composed, always humbly sharing their artistic craft. Distinctly Bronze East and Crescendo 2025 will pay tribute to many of these composers while also looking to the future of our music making with a sense of hope. Here’s to our past. Here’s to our future. Here’s to the coming renaissance.– Nick Hanson & P.L. Grove
Following is the list of both Distinctly Bronze and Crescendo pieces. Crescendo participants only need to purchase pieces that have “Crescendo Only” or “Combined DB & Crescendo” noted.
CLICK HERE to download a printable repertoire list.
| Composition | Composer/Arranger | Level | Publisher |
| Slavonic Dance | Antonín Dvořák, arr. Valerie Stephenson | Level 4 | Laurendale Associates 1075 |
| And the Trees Do Moan | Folk Song, arr. Carl Wiltse | Level NA | Stained Glass Music 4904 |
| Mozart Allegro (Theme from Symphony No. 40) | W.A. Mozart, arr. Dan Edwards | Level 3 | Choristers Guild 828 |
| Rondo Passacaglia – Crescendo Only | Cynthia Dobrinski | Level 3+ | Hope Publishing 1237 |
| Andromeda | Nancy Hascall | Level 5+ | AGEHR 57009J |
| Danza Festivo – Crescendo Only | Arnold Sherman | Level NA | Hope Publishing 1643 |
| Shades of Forest Green – Combined DB & Crescendo | Traditional English, arr. Tim Waugh | Level 3 | Ring Out! Press 2115 |
| Merry Go Round of Life | Joe Hisaishi, arr. Sasha Lovitz | Level 3+ | 8-Bit Handbell, distributed by Sheet Music Plus |
| Waterfalls | Daniel Ujifusa | Level 5 | Unpublished |
| O Captain My Captain | Christian Guebert | Level 4 | Unpublished |
| The Rescue | Dan Perucco, arr. Marquise Usher | Level 3 | From the Top 20645 |
| Si Tuvieras Fe | Folk Song, arr. Brian Seemann | Level 5 | From the Top 20707 |
| Joy – Crescendo Only | ANTIOCH, arr. C.J. Caminiti | Level 4- | From the Top 20689 |
| BANG! – Combined DB & Crescendo | Adam Met, Jack Met, & Ryan Met, arr. P.L. Grove | Level 3 | Distributed by Sheet Music Plus |
Bang! is available for purchase through the HMA store as s PDF download. Follow the link to purchase.
https://bit.ly/Bang-1910
Pamela “P.L.” Grove has been a handbell ringer and director for more than 45 years. As a founding ringer with the critically acclaimed Sonos Handbell Ensemble, her more notable performances included those with the San Francisco Girls Chorus, the San Francisco Symphony Chorus, the Kronos Quartet, Frederica von Stade and twice on Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion. She served as artistic director for Velocity Handbell Ensemble for over 20 years, has rung at several Distinctly Bronze events, was the Distinctly Bronze West Chair from 2014 to 2016, represented the United States as the director at the 18th International Handbell Symposium in Australia, and rang in the inaugural Zenith event in 2023. She is one of a few people to have completed a Bachelor’s degree in handbell performance and is a past president of Handbell Musicians of America. Retired from her job as a government public information officer, P.L. currently works part-time as a publications expeditor for a nonprofit and as a church vocal choir director. In her free time, she spends as much time as possible making music.