If you are undecided about what advantages membership in the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers could possibly have for you, here are a few thoughts on the matter. Joyce Lathrop is a director from New Mexico who attended the national seminar in Dallas on a scholarship (one of the advantages-scholarships!) from Area XI. Subsequently, she also was able to get her choir to attend a workshop with Michael Kastner who provided some coaching for the group. This event was put on by AGEHR. So read what both Joyce and Michael have to say.

The National Seminar - attending for the first time.

I was able to attend the National Seminar in Dallas, TX this past July for the first time due to receiving a scholarship from Area 11. As a member of AGEHR, I receive information about events like this, but have never seriously considered going due to cost. I didn't even know a scholarship fund existed, but was told of it by Kate German, the New Mexico State chair of AGEHR and a member of my handbell quartet. So I applied and was accepted and off I flew to Dallas.

It was a wonderful opportunity for me. I met ringers from all over the country, rang some great music in two reading sessions I attended and learned more than I can ever write about here in the various classes I attended.

Two things made a big impression on me. First, was seeing up close and personal, people whose names I have read many, many times as the composers or arrangers of bell music. I met John Behnke, Douglas Wagner, Kevin McChesney, William Payn, Nancy Hascall and many more. One of the great things about bells is most, if not all, the great composers and arrangers are still alive and in many cases younger than I am. So it was wonderful meeting them, learning from them and ringing under their direction.

The second thing that made my trip worthwhile was finding out that if you assign bells from top to bottom, each person playing two bells, then the ringer's left hand always plays a note on a space and the right hand always plays a note on a line. I had never thought about that. It seems so simple now, but what a great notion and what a great way to help teach non-music readers to better follow their part. This one tip alone was worth the cost of the trip.

I thank Area XI for their support of my efforts as a director and for the scholarship plan.

Handbell Workshop - from a director's perspective

This past Sunday I attended a handbell workshop put on by AGEHR-NM at Rio Rancho Presbyterian Church. I am the director of a three octave choir from Zia United Methodist in Santa Fe. I have wanted someone to watch my choir and my directing and give us a critique. I am a friend of the clinician, Michael Kastner, and had asked him last spring if he did such workshops. When he used the word "coaching" I knew I had asked the right person. Michael is excellent at this type of thing. Not only is he an extremely talented soloist and director himself, he knows just what to say to get ringers and directors alike to try different things, push themselves harder, care about their performance and have fun doing it. Some of my ringers were a little worried before the event thinking that he might be critical of their ringing skills. This worry was dispelled in the first five minutes. He is a warm and funny person with great talent and an engaging humor.

Joyce Lathrop
Zia UMC
Santa Fe, NM

Why be a member of AGEHR -
Most of us join for the information: Being a member plugs you into a network of bell enthusiasts at local, as well as national, levels. You can find out about workshops nearby and have your group go, rather than hear about it after the fact. But did you know that being a member of AGEHR also gives you a bell-bud that will custom tailor their response to your question? Try calling an AGEHR member or board representative. They are all ears and your question(s) WILL get answered!

But why STAY a member of AGEHR? Once you are tuned into the various workshops and events at local (or even national) events, your membership still works for you. You can sponsor an event in your own back yard and have it "Guild Sponsored" - complete with assistance on event insurance, royalty requirements from music publishers, locating a clinician and more. In some cases, AGEHR membership may qualify you for music educators discounts on products and services such as music editing software. You will also soon become a resource for others who are in exactly the same place you were when you joined the Guild, making you a part of that important network of support that we have come to rely on.

- Michael Kastner