Forté Handbell Quartet
Pathways Workshop
Schedule
October 11, 2025
8:30-9:30am
Check-in
8:40-9:25am
Basic Music reading Review (optional)
9:30-10:00am
Warm Ups
10:00-10:15am
Go to your Path’s classroom
10:15-11:20am
Session 1
11:30am-12:35pm
Session 2
12:35-1:20pm
Catered Lunch
1:20-2:25pm
Session 3
2:35-3:40pm
Session 4
3:40-3:55pm
Afternoon Break
3:55-5:00pm
Session 5
5:10-6:15pm
Session 6
6:15-7:15pm
Catered Dinner
The Paths
The Trailhead: Getting Started (all paths)
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Basic Music Reading Review (optional): a 45-minute session wherein we establish a basic understanding of music reading (beats, time signatures, note values, rests, pitches, key signatures, accidentals, barlines)
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Warm-Ups: a 30-minute session in which we take all participants through warm-up exercises to demonstrate the usefulness of warming up for the body, for technique, for confidence, and for mental agility
Path A: Building the Basics
A crash course in essential ringing skills for those new to handbells or returning after a long break.
Sessions include:
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Basic Ringing and Damping
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Bell Switches, Passes, and Basic Weaves
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Introduction to Other Techniques
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Music Reading and Application
Path B: Strengthening Your Skills
Targeted technique development for current ringers who want to refine and expand their abilities.
Sessions include:
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Ringing, Stance, and Motion
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Basic Technique Review
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Mallet Technique
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Weaving and Displacement
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Multiple Bells in Hand
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Putting it All Together: Ring and Review
Path C: Ringing for the Joy of It
A music-filled track focused on playing through repertoire, with light technique review as needed (a solid grasp of basic handbell techniques is expected, but mastery is not required). All sessions will be focused on reading a variety of pieces, with the instructional handout from Path B provided to participants as a reference text for when technique review is needed in context.