Festival Director Recommendations

[Chris Peck]

Hi,

I hope this works. I've only read these posts and not actually written one.

I am the new Area 8 Chair and am looking for recommendations for men and women mass ringing directors for our 2024 festival.

I am particularly looking for directors who are easy to work with, are flexible, are enjoyed and appreciated by ringers, and who know what they're doing in front of 200 ringers.

Please respond to me here or to my email address: chair...@handbellmusicians.org

Thanks,

Chris Peck,

Chair, Area 8

[THOMAS SIMPSON]

Easy to work with AND flexible? 

That knocks out like 80% of the people on this list. 

🤣🤣🤣

Thomas 

[Charles Peery]

Wait. I’d see more of a conflict between “knows what to do in front of 200 people” and “flexible” than between the two things you listed.

I know I’m setting myself up here.  HAHA

Chuck in Palm Springs

--
Post: handb...@googlegroups.com
Subscribe: handbell-l...@googlegroups.com
Unsubscribe: handbell-l+...@googlegroups.com
Digest: e-mail mdp...@gmail.com with subject line "Digest-L"
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Handbell-l" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to handbell-l+...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/handbell-l/253AEDA3-A89B-4C5F-BAD2-C3D5659047B1%40aol.com.

[Brian Seemann]

My strong suggestion is to make an effort to find younger/newer names. There are a ton of great younger conductors in the handbell world who are more than capable of leading mass ringing events, but don't often get the chance as everyone reaches for the same top 5 names.

Also, maybe an unpopular opinion, but there is often a difference between great composer and great conductor. Just because their name is on a lot of music, does not always mean they are a good teacher/conductor.

--
Brian Seemann

--
Post: handb...@googlegroups.com
Subscribe: handbell-l...@googlegroups.com
Unsubscribe: handbell-l+...@googlegroups.com
Digest: e-mail mdp...@gmail.com with subject line "Digest-L"
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Handbell-l" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to handbell-l+...@googlegroups.com.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/handbell-l/CAH%2Bmxxw5y3Do1EWb7sYyopd0aFXs%2Bsvzm-ACJ6%3D9SCcLpZaOFQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[Jason Krug]

I'd also suggest talking to other area chairs and organizers of long-running festivals for suggestions (both of whom to have and whom not to have). Some smaller regional and state festivals have been running for years and those organizers and frequent attendees will have seen a large number of clinicians. (Plus, with smaller festivals, they may, as Brian suggested, have had some less-well-known clinicians and can give you opinions on them.)

Jason

Get Outlook for Android

---

From: handb...@googlegroups.com <handb...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Brian Seemann <bseem...@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, November 1, 2022 8:45:11 PM
To: handb...@googlegroups.com <handb...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [HB-L] Festival Director Recommendations

 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/handbell-l/CANtDSXvb7eodfG1gims0%3DKQOESF%2B6ewPSMxAkB8xSaxknWuPCg%40mail.gmail.com.

[Stephanie Wiltse]

"Also, maybe an unpopular opinion, but there is often a difference between great composer and great conductor. Just because their name is on a lot of music, does not always mean they are a good teacher/conductor."

AMEN

Stephanie WIltse

(Who you callin' old?) :-)

Grand Rapids

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/handbell-l/DM4PR15MB547872C1850805873BB99C0AC9399%40DM4PR15MB5478.namprd15.prod.outlook.com.

[bfbfb...@gmail.com]

Hi Chris,

Check out Ellie Hodder.  She was just in Arizona and seemed to be well liked.  She knows her stuff.

Barb Brocker

--

[Ellie Hodder]

I 2nd Stephanie’s post!! Ellie 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/handbell-l/CAGopQeDszZLgxNNKtqgStFFwhRb0%3D9y%3Das5saT668eUNBh0%2Biw%40mail.gmail.com.

--

Ellie Hodder
• Director of Music Ministries, Murray Hills Christian Church
www.murrayhills.org

• Artistic Director, Pacific Ringers
pacificringers.org
Portland, Oregon

• Clinician/Teacher

www.elliehodder.com

• Handbell Musicians of America, Area 10 Membership Chair
are...@handbellmusicians.org

• Senior Chime Choirs for Independed Living Retirement Communities

www.elliehodder.com

503-730-9311 cell/txt

[Kyle Webber]

3rd for Stephanie’s post!  :)

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/handbell-l/CALquXJC75Hr0pbssc8Nk6ipVnr7z%2BGvZqHngZKm8wfFCB_7JGQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[Kyle Webber]

I guess that was Brian’s initial post.  Sorry, Brian!  You get a 3rd regardless.  LOL!

On Wed, Nov 2, 2022 at 1:17 AM Ellie Hodder <ellieho...@gmail.com> wrote:

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/handbell-l/CALquXJC75Hr0pbssc8Nk6ipVnr7z%2BGvZqHngZKm8wfFCB_7JGQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[J.-C. Coolen]

Stuart Sladden (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada)--**wonderful** massed handbell director! He conducted at the OGEHR festival a few years ago, and also was one of the Canadian conductors at the '16 IHS in Vancouver.

jc

[James Walters]

Jason Krug directed our festival earlier this year. He did an outstanding job of teaching our young ringers and was well received.

Peace,

James Walters

Redlands Adventist Academy

Handbells

To teach is to learn twice. - Joseph Joubert

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/handbell-l/63625b58.170a0220.fc577.1856SMTPIN_ADDED_BROKEN%40gmr-mx.google.com.

[LadyBug Crossing]

My 2 cents:  After ringing under lots of directors, I suggest someone who has a downbeat you can see from the back of the room… someone who isn’t “flowy or swishy”… ringers who are there to learn don’t need a director who thinks everyone on the floor is a music major… 

[Arnold Rawls]

Stephanie Rhodes! 

--
Post: handb...@googlegroups.com
Subscribe: handbell-l...@googlegroups.com
Unsubscribe: handbell-l+...@googlegroups.com
Digest: e-mail mdp...@gmail.com with subject line "Digest-L"
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Handbell-l" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to handbell-l+...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/handbell-l/CAH%2Bmxxw5y3Do1EWb7sYyopd0aFXs%2Bsvzm-ACJ6%3D9SCcLpZaOFQ%40mail.gmail.com.

--

Arnold Rawls, D.M.A.,  Lyrico Spinto Tenor

Artist in Residence •  White's Chapel Methodist  •  Southlake, Texas

Metropolitan Opera •  Dallas Opera  •  Bregenzer Festspiele

Opera Australia  •  Frankfurt Oper

ArnoldRawls.com. •. 405.664.5859

Management:

Encompass Arts, New York, NY

Kathy Olsen, Manager

ka...@encompassarts.com  •  212.439.8055

[Wendy Cheng]

I second Stephanie Rhoades and Jason Krug.

Area 3 had them as clinicians for our annual "Bells at the Beach" handbell festival recent years and we liked them.

Wendy

Wendy Cheng
Director, White Oak Ringers

Silver Spring MD