[Dixielandjazz] Hand Bells????

[Margaret Squires]

Steve,

I'm a ringer.  Have been ringing in groups for over 20 years.  Dad says that
the reason I'm such a good ringer is because I'm a natural born ding-a-ling.
Thanks Dad!

You would be surprised the broad range of literature published for
handbells.  I have played arrangements of Alexander's Ragtime Band, Boogie
Woogie Bugle Boy, The Billboard March,  The Great Gate of Kiev (from
Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition), Morning Has Broken (by Cat
Stevens), Selections from the Nutcracker Suite, Hava Nagila, and a bunch
more.

In southern California is a handbell group called Campanile.  Six people in
the group riniging five octaves of bells.  The ringers look like a rock and
roll band.....guys with long hair, dressed in leather, gals dress in
leather, gold lame, fishnet nylons and high heels.  They play a VERY wide
range of music, including an arrangement of "Hells Bells" by AC DC.

Steve, if you're planning on taking up ringing I have a word of
warning....handbell ringing is NOT as easy as it looks!!!

Margaret
in Modesto, CA

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Stephen Barbone" <barbonestreet at earthlink.net>
To: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Thursday, January 01, 2004 6:51 PM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Hand Bells????


> List Mates:
>
> Maybe I should quit pushing beads and start playing hand bells. It seems
> that no matter how much promotion and actual playing one does, some
> people still get confused. See below mail just received this evening.
> Any bands doing hand bells OKOM? Any hand bell players out there?
>
> If so, check out the latent demand (from old folks) for this style. The
> note is from an upscale Retirement Facility about 50 miles away that
> I've been trying to crack for 3 years. They have been reluctant to pay
> our usual fee, but adding a hand bell player might just tip them over
> the edge. ;-)
>
> Cheers,
> Steve (Hand Bells) Barbone
>
>
> "Dear Steve Barbone:"
>
>         "Your name has been given to me by may (sic) brother who heard
> your group perform last summer. I understand that your group uses
> handbells to perform jazz music. That sounds like something different."
>
>         "Please send me some information about your group, a typical
> program, and what fees you charge to come here and perform. We are
> located about 3 miles south of  Lancaster in Willow Street"
>
>
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>