Distinctly Bronze East is an event for advanced handbell musicians, which in 2025, will be led by conductor, Nick Hanson. Four days of rehearsal lead up to a Sunday afternoon concert that is open to the public and also livestreamed. Registration is limited to 132 advanced handbell ringers and the event sells out annually. A waitlist is kept in case of any cancellations. Registration is $395, and participants must be members* of Handbell Musicians of America. The fee includes dinner on Thursday, lunch on Sunday, and an event polo shirt. Registration is limited to 132 advanced 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 this 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
CLICK HERE to download a printable repertoire list.
| Composition | Composer/Arranger | Level | Publisher |
| Slavonic Dance | Antonín Dvořák, arr. Valerie Stephenson | 4 | Laurendale Associates 1075 |
| And the Trees Do Moan | Folk Song, arr. Carl Wiltse | NA | Stained Glass Music 4904 |
| Mozart Allegro (Theme from Symphony No. 40) | W.A. Mozart, arr. Dan Edwards | 3 | Choristers Guild 828 |
| Rondo Passacaglia – Crescendo Only | Cynthia Dobrinski | 3+ | Hope Publishing 1237 |
| Andromeda | Nancy Hascall | 5+ | AGEHR 57009J |
| Danza Festivo – Crescendo Only | Arnold Sherman | NA | Hope Publishing 1643 |
| Shades of Forest Green – Combined DB & Crescendo | Traditional English, arr. Tim Waugh | 3 | Ring Out! Press 2115 |
| Merry Go Round of Life | Joe Hisaishi, arr. Sasha Lovitz | 3+ | 8-Bit Handbell, distributed by Sheet Music Plus |
| Waterfalls | Daniel Ujifusa | 5 | Unpublished |
| O Captain My Captain | Christian Guebert | 4 | Unpublished |
| The Rescue | Dan Perucco, arr. Marquise Usher | 3 | From the Top 20645 |
| Si Tuvieras Fe | Folk Song, arr. Brian Seemann | 5 | From the Top 20707 |
| Joy – Crescendo Only | ANTIOCH, arr. C.J. Caminiti | 4- | From the Top 20689 |
| BANG! – Combined DB & Crescendo | Adam Met, Jack Met, & Ryan Met, arr. P.L. Grove | 3 | Distributed by Sheet Music Plus |
Note on Unpublished Pieces
Bang! and Merry-Go-Round of Life
These pieces are available for purchase through the HMA store as PDF downloads. Following are the purchasing links:
Bang! https://bit.ly/Bang-1910
Merry-Go-Round of Life https://bit.ly/Merry-Go-Round-1911
Waterfalls and O Captain! My Captain!
These pieces are unpublished, but Carol Scheel at Heitz Handbells has graciously agreed to host them on their website. They are available as PDF downloads, but Carol will also provide a paper copy for an extra $1.50 each. Following are the purchasing links:
Waterfalls https://heitzhandbells.com/product/waterfall-dbe/
O Captain! My Captain! https://heitzhandbells.com/product/o-captain-my-captain-dbe2025/
After receiving his BA in Music (with concentration in handbell performance) from Concordia University, Irvine, California, Nick began teaching at The Potomac School in McLean, Virginia, in 2006. At Potomac he teaches private handbell lessons and handbell classes to 4th–12th grade students in six handbell ensembles. He has also been the handbell director at Bush Hill Presbyterian Church in Alexandria, Virginia, for over 15 years. Nick is a sought-after faculty, clinician, and conductor for workshops and events throughout the world, having served in this role nationally in over 20 states (as well as Washington, DC) and internationally in England, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, and Singapore. He was an associate conductor for the elite handbell event, Distinctly Bronze, where he shared the podium with esteemed conductor and composer William Payn in 2015; was co-conductor for the Handbell Musicians of America (HMA) All-Star Choir in 2018; and has twice lead HMA’s Distinctly Teen ensemble in 2015 and 2023. In 2022 The Potomac School recognized Nick with the Bill Cook Excellence in Teaching Award and he was featured in the Arlington Magazine article “Teachers We Love” in 2023. He is a published writer in the national handbell magazine Overtones, has composed and arranged over 100 pieces of handbell music, and is co-host of the podcast Two Tacos High: A Handbell Podcast.
*If not a member at the time of registration, the yearly membership fee will be included in your Distinctly Bronze registration.