Midwinter Clinic
Twin Cities Bronze invites you to our Midwinter Clinic on Saturday, January 25, 2025! This workshop is designed to give ringers a chance to learn and improve upon their ringing techniques, play new music, and have fun. It is for all skill levels. Directors are invited to participate as well. $35/participant.
Date | Time | Location
Saturday, January 25, 9 am - 3 pm at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran in Apple Valley (12650 Johnny Cake Ridge Road).
What's the day like?
Our workshop will consist of a couple morning breakout technique-teaching sessions led by ringers from our group followed by a music-reading session for all attendees with music provided by Carol Scheel from Heitz Handbells & Music. We will have a roundtable just for directors. Twin Cities Bronze will perform a piece or two for the attendees. Members of Twin Cities Bronze and our artistic director, Charlie Leftridge,will be leading the workshop.
Food
We’ll provide a nice breakfast for registrants. Bring your own lunch.
Equipment
We provide all the equipment! No tables or bells to haul! No music to purchase ahead of time - but will be available for sale after the reading session.
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Whether you’re new to handbells or a seasoned ringer, this workshop offers a variety of activities designed to help you improve your technique and enjoy making music with others. Directors are also invited to participate and join in the roundtable discussion.
Please fill out the registration form below to secure your spot. We can’t wait to ring with you!
Education in Bronze:
Mobile Classroom
Do you have handbells or handchimes sitting in a closet? Do you wonder how to use them? Would your choir benefit from everyone learning proper ringing technique? Are you an experienced group that would like to work on stage presence or polishing your favorite pieces? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then Twin Cities Bronze Mobile Classroom is ready to come to you!
Experienced, enthusiastic, critically acclaimed educators will come to your rehearsal place and teach a class customized to your needs. You already have the equipment – Twin Cities Bronze provides the instructors and materials. This is a great way to enhance the skills of your group while making good use of time and budget.
At this time, classes are available in the Twin Cities Metro Area only.
Contact Bonnie Tranby, Associate Director, for more information and to schedule!
Beginning with the Basics
Fundamental stretching exercises, posture, ringing position, how and when to damp and essential note reading skills will be covered in this indispensable class. Learn what you need to bring your handbells out of the closet and start making music!
Energize the Battery
Battery ringers, those ringing C4 – B5, are an integral section of the bell choir. With this hands-on class, you’ll learn how to master techniques to become a stronger battery ringer and help your bell choir ring beautiful music with accuracy and precision.
Treble Bells: 4-in-Hand and Shelley Techniques
This class will lead participants through sequential instructions for the setups and ringing of the various treble bell techniques. Discover the challenges and solutions for those times when you have too many bells and not enough hands! With hands-on experiences and original exercises, you’ll walk away from this class with the tools you need to be a success!
Battling those Bass Bells
This class demonstrates the basic techniques involved in playing the bass bells. Learn how to safely lift and ring the 2s and 3s. Participants will also learn about the articulations that are unique to bass bells and how to figure out bass bell assignments.
Get a Handle on Handchimes
The use of handchimes can span a lifetime – from children to senior citizens. Learn how to hold, ring and damp your chimes, how to use them in conjunction with handbells and what music is particularly suited to this lovely instrument.
Bell Trees and Processionals
Yes, you can walk and ring bells at the same time! Everything you need to know about bell trees and handbell processionals and the fun and excitement they can generate for ringers and audiences will be taught in this class. Topics covered include: how to use them, the needs of the ringer, learning a song and even writing your own.
Finishing Touches
Add polish to your performance with a coaching session from our Artistic and Music Director. Fine tune a piece or two, learn about and practice stage presence (which you need even in church) and take your group to the next level.