2008 Festival Date and Clinician

Posted on March 12, 2007 | Filed Under 2008, Clinicians, Photos

The 2008 Knox Area Handbell Festival will be held on April 11-12 at Second Presbyterian Church. Returning to the festival as our clinician will be Beth Watson, past AGEHR president and Director of Music at Northwest Hills United Methodist Church in Austin, TX.

(from the AGEHR website):

Beth Watson AGEHR photoBeth Watson is Director of Music Ministries at Northwest Hills United Methodist Church, Austin, Texas, where she oversees a program consisting of six choirs. Beth has been attending AGEHR activities since 1965 (as a member of a youth handbell choir in West Virginia) and has been conducting handbell choirs since 1968. She has served as Secretary/Treasurer of Area IX, and as Music Chairman for AGEHR, Inc. She is active as a conductor and clinician for seminars, festivals, workshops, and denominational worship and music conferences. She was also one of the conductors representing the United States at the International Handbell Symposium in Toronto, Canada, in the summer of 2004. Beth has one arrangement published by AGEHR music entitled “Gypsy Song” from Carmen by Georges Bizet. She is also the author of a chapter in the AGEHR publication Page One, for beginning directors. Beth was a charter member and the assistant conductor of the Dallas Handbell Ensemble and the was the original conductor of the Concert Bells of Fort Worth. In addition to her term as President of the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers, Beth also served as President of the Greater Dallas Handbell Association.

Requesting your pictures!

Posted on March 12, 2007 | Filed Under 2007

Great job at the festival, ringers! If you have some digital pics of the festival you would like to add to the photo album, send it to me at aduncan@fountaincityumc.org – thanks!

2007 Festival Final Concert (Part 2)

Posted on March 12, 2007 | Filed Under 2007, Choirs, Clinicians, Videos

Here’s the rest of the final concert!

2007 Festival Final Concert (Part 1)

Posted on March 12, 2007 | Filed Under 2007, Choirs, Clinicians, Videos

Here’s the video of highlights from the 2007 final concert. Enjoy!

“Celebration” World Premiere

Posted on March 12, 2007 | Filed Under 2007, Choirs, Clinicians, Videos

See the world premiere of “Celebration” by composer Fred Gramann.

2007 Festival Rehearsal Highlights (video)

Posted on March 12, 2007 | Filed Under 2007, Choirs, Clinicians, Videos

Here’s a quick video montage of our Saturday morning and afternoon massed rehearsal with clinician Fred Gramann.

More information on Healthy Ringing by Susan Berry

Posted on March 11, 2007 | Filed Under 2007, Classes

Healthy Ringing coverSeveral in the class asked about Susan Berry’s book, Healthy Ringing. Here are some links for further research:

Handbell Services, Inc (publisher of the book)

Book, Stretching Guide, Notation Guide can be found here.

You can get these materials from Handbell Services or from Jeffers – follow the link to Jeffers on the right-hand column.

2007 Festival Pictures

Posted on March 11, 2007 | Filed Under 2007, Choirs, Clinicians, Photos

Click on the handbells to see the pictures from the 2007 festival with Fred Gramann!

Information regarding the Healthy Ringing class

Posted on March 9, 2007 | Filed Under 2007, Classes

DO NOT COME IF YOU WANT TO BE BORED!

This class is open to everyone at the festival, although it is intended for those who are not ringing Level 2 repertoire. Andrew Duncan will be teaching the class, and is very excited to get the chance to cover some of the essentials of handbell ringing that often do not get discussed in the church setting. Andrew will be using Susan Berry’s book as a basis for the healthy ringing concepts, so if you have a copy bring it along!
Healthy Ringing cover
We will be using a space with tables already setup – you will need to bring bells (and possibly pads) from your performance tables.

[Edit - we will not be using tables/pads - just bring yourself and a bell!]

2007 Festival Schedule

Posted on March 9, 2007 | Filed Under 2007

The following is the schedule for the festival:

Friday

  • 3:00 – 5:00 pm: Director’s Workshop
  • 7:00 – 9:00 pm:  Mass Ringing Rehearsal

Saturday

  • 8:30 – 9:00: Doughnuts and Coffee
  • 9:00 – 10:15: Level 1 rehearsal
  • 10:15 – 10:30: BREAK
  • 10:30 – 11:45: Level 2 rehearsal / Healthy Ringing Class
  • 11:45 – 12:30: LUNCH
  • 12:30 – 1:15: Level 2 rehearsal
  • 1:15 – 1:30: BREAK
  • 1:30 – 2:15: Level 1 rehearsal
  • 2:15 – 3:00: Mass Ringing Rehearsal
  • 3:00 – 3:30: Mass Ringing with percussionists
  • 4:00: Concert
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