Southern California Spring Ring – First Ever SCHMEE!

Posted on March 24, 2009
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Our Spring Ring has just concluded and what an incredibly wonderful event it was! Hosted by the generous and energetic ReJOYce Choir of Point Loma Presbyterian Church, more than 110 ringers participated in the festival with the theme, “It’s Easier than it Looks.” Ann Simoneau, director, was tireless in her efforts to make us feel at home and comfortable.
The idea of SCHMEE was born in a handbell chatroom where members were invited to think “outside the box” of something they would like to do. From that germ sprung the Sadomasochistic Chime Handbell Maniacal Ensemble Extravaganza! The event was designed for those ringers who wanted more of a challenge than the traditional Spring Ring, but without the stress of an audition or the expense of traveling a great distance and spending several days. People from the chat room who had given birth to the idea came from as far away as Minnesota and Virginia meeting face to face for the first time. They have gotten so into the concept that they have developed “polyester children” – what most other people would call stuffed animals! – to depict SCHMEE, and they even have a book of songs with their own vocabulary about SCHMEE! But on Friday night, the focus of 36 “Schmeeites” was all on challenging music and stretching one’s capablities. Larry Sue’s swing jazz arrangement of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, entitled Ye Jazzy Gentlemen, was a study in syncopation and unique harmonies. Karen Buckwalter’s Valse les Adieux was full of flowing arpeggios.

MASSED REHEARSALS

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So Cal 3

Our clinician was Larry Sue. His conducting was so explicit and easy to follow – a learning experience for directors as well as ringers. His sense of humor made the challenges fun to tackle. So what if the piece has two measures of 7/8, then 5/8, then 3/4, then 4/4, now back to 5/8. Here’s how we can handle that! And by the way… make the audience think you’re enjoying it. We will all remember, “I have a bell. It is a pretty bell. Don’t you wish you had one, too?”

One of the most special aspects of the day was having Mike Mazzatenta in attendance. He is the composer of 5/8 Kyrie and had never heard it performed live before. We were honored to have him there to introduce the piece.

LARRY SUE WORKSHOPS

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So Cal Spring Ring Besides directing the massed ringing sessions, Larry led two workshops. The first was a discussion on how to make music previously thought beyond reach accessible to ringers. Those in attendance shared ideas as well, including the suggestion of a list of substitutes in the various areas of Southern Califor- nia who would be willing to help each other on an on-call basis. Larry’s second class was on bass bell ringing. As artistic director of “Low Ding Zone” in the Bay Area, he is an expert in the field and shared many helpful strategies for mastering the heavier bells.

LINDA KRANTZ SOLO CLASSES

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Linda Krantz, just back from solo concerts in Italy, led both beginning and advanced solo ringing classes. Beginners learned how to choose music, arrange bells and make bell changes. By the end of the first class, more than thirty ringers were playing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” with aplomb! Her second class included traveling four-in-hand and ways to solve difficult passages. Linda topped off her contribution to our spring ring with a stunning performance of Hyfrydol including the bell tree. Thank you, Linda!