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FORTÉ HANDBELL WORKSHOP

TRACK C: Delving Deeper

How can I start to push my skills? How do I approach ringing differently for different areas of the table? This track is designed for those who are comfortable reading different positions, know the basic techniques, and want to take the next step in their handbell musicianship.

Session 0: Basic Music Reading Review (optional)

 

Haven't read music in a while? This pre-workshop refresher session will briefly cover the basics of music reading like the staff, clefs, barlines, time signatures, key signatures, beats, note values, pitches, accidentals, and rests. This foundation prepares participants for the tracks, which will focus on building handbell-specific skills.

Session 1: Warm-Ups (with Track A and Track B)

 

Getting ready to ring any instrument involves getting the body and mind activated and prepared. Warming up also allows us to practice the building blocks of technique (often in an exaggerated way) before we have to call upon them in a piece of music. Whether a veteran or a newbie, everyone can benefit from thoughtful preparation. In this first class of the day, we'll go through some stretches, motions, and coordination games to show some ways to get both the mind and the body prepared for a day of ringing!

Session 2: Stance and Techniques

Handbells are a surprisingly intricate instrument, and it seems there is always something new to learn! From head to hands to feet, hone your knowledge of the basics and the many techniques used in handbell music as we explore the marks on the page and how to truly master them.

Session 3: Bass and Mallets

Whether you're a bass-table veteran, or you're venturing into the big bells for the first time, we'll show you what you need to enjoy it to the fullest! A confident, competent, and knowledgeable bass bell ringer can be critical to strong bell choirs, and this course will aim to make you all three. You'll learn key techniques for making the bells work for you, reducing strain with proper ringing habits, malleting methods, part arrangement and more.

Session 4: Battery and Weaving

The bells in the middle of the table don't always get as much attention as the smaller bells played 4-in-hand or the larger, flashy bass bells, but playing in this region demands rhythm, attention, problem-solving, and endurance! In this class we'll look at some of the difficult situations that can crop up and how to approach them, and we will also look at how the techniques common to all positions apply to this range.

Session 5: Treble and 4ih

Thrilling melody lines and fun rhythms await any ringer with a desire to play the treble bells! Come learn to navigate the treble table with confidence as we take you through the ins and outs of ringing the little bells cleanly and easily, and teach you to four-in-hand like a pro (yes, you can do it!).

Session 6: Visual Presentation (with Track B)

Handbells are a distinctly visual instrument, enthralling audiences through both sound and sight. Directors and ringers are encouraged to come learn how to broaden the appeal of their performances through applying a new lens of visual unity to their ringing. Whether you've been in bells for one year or fifty, you will hear new, straightforward ideas on how to help your audience connect with your music on a new level as you turn your songs into works of art.

Session 7: Massed Ring and Review (with Track A and Track B)

In our final session for the day, we will read music together, putting all of the skills we've worked on during the day to use! We'll look at music that we can make the most of visually and technically. Some ringers may have the opportunity to observe instead of ring for particular pieces, allowing them to see the application of concepts on pieces they may not yet be ready to play themselves.

Track A: Laying the Foundation

Track B: Strengthening the Skillset

Frequently Asked Questions

Handbell Main Page

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