Pirates of the Golden Bell

Pirates of the Caribbean performed at First Presbyterian Church, Marietta GA by the JoyBell Ringers during our Sweet Water Tour. Awesome narration given by Susan Gleason of two poems, "Davy Jones' Doorbell" by Vaschel Lindsay and "Pirates" by Lee Templar.

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JoyBell Ringers play Ballade

I absolutely LOVE this piece! It's one of my all time favorites. This performance is from our Sweet Water Tour kick-off concert at First Baptist in Galax.

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Baby Bells.mov

My baby bells are the cutest thing ever! Here they are practicing and playing at our concert last week.

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Life, Beautiful Life!

Oh, boy! You are going to LOVE the great things I have for you today!

Amy has edited together an absolutely beautiful short movie from the 8mm film footage shot at Amos and Cara's wedding last year. She captured the day exactly the way I remember it! I Love it, honey! Thanks so much for making this keepsake of one of the best days in our family's history: The Day Cara became one of us.


Scene II of the art of Life is a slideshow (FINALLY!) of Ava Lee Joy Murrell's birth. If anybody remembers, I left you all hanging last February wondering what happened after 9:00 pm. For a refresher, check out:
Ava's Birthday, Part 1

Ava's Birthday, Part 2

So, here is the rest of the story: The Birthday of Ava Lee Joy Murrell

I truly love each and every shot in this slideshow, even the blurry, out of focus, less than technically perfect ones, because they are like unique fibers, woven together, to make a glorious tapestry. This is the story of a remarkably ordinary day changed by the miraculous arrival of a new little sister, which will forever change a family.

Last, but not least, your puzzle! Amy snapped this today with her iPhone while we were cruising down the Pacific Coast Highway from Monterey to Big Sur. Awesome country!

Grazioso

Oh Yes! and I love this song, too!

This is an emotional composition that depicts one lady's brave battle with cancer. In this music, you meet Jane's beautiful spirit and smile in the opening melodic section, then share her disbelieve, and struggle with the diagnosis, hear her dying heartbeat, then are finally lifted up by her glorious entrance into the kingdom of heaven with bells pealing.
Those kids tell that story really, really well.
So now I have a before and after for you: Here they are playing "Now the Green Blade Riseth 2 years ago (with an 8 year old manning the camera!
and here they are playing the sane piece just 4 month ago. Pretty impressive, huh?

The Velocity of Love

Just because I love them so, and I love this song.

A Tale of Two Movies

While we were at the family beach house last month, Amy made this brilliant movie starring her darling little cousins, Kylie and Kade.


And here is a clip that ended up on the virtual cutting room floor. I wonder why.

Just another embarrasing moment in my mermaid life.

Sweet Dreams

Dreams of Atlantis Jigsaw Puzzle
I had the great delight of celebrating another birthday last week with all my handbell families. The day before the occasion, I stopped by the Hardy's*. Little Nancy* was sooooo excited to see me. She met me with a great big hug, and danced all around saying,
"We're bwinging the pink wimonaide!"
"Oh, you are?" I responded.
"Yeah, it's going to be a WEALLY BIG pawty!!!!"
'Hmmm . . . and I bet it was supposed to be a really big secret, too!"
*All names changed to protect the innocently, guilty.

The puzzle is the front of the awesome birthday card I got from my sis.

I came across this video today on my photographer's forum:


When David saw it, he said That's how you sleep! So true, sad to say, especially as I am teetering on the brink of official senior citizenship.

A Heart-Warming Day in the Frigid Homeland

In spite of the wicked cold today, my heart has been warmed with gratitude for the simple, small town pleasures that I enjoy living here. I went to Physical Therapy and chatted with old friends as they came in. (And I DO mean some that go WAAAAY back, like to 1979 when I first moved here and started La Leche League in Galax.) After PT, I made a round of the usual errands: post office, grocery store, and bank. At every stop, I'm welcomed with smiling, familiar faces (who greet me by name and make small talk.) Our Special Olympics coach, Vickey works at the post office. And Judy has a grand daughter with autism. We share an unspoken bond. At Kroger, I talked shop with Lisa, a new to our area homeschooling mom and hug my old friend, Harriet, another one of the original LLL moms. At the bank, Becky helps me track down some mystery transactions and reassures me that she is, indeed, at work behind the scenes to get the Methodist church to loan me their 3 octaves of bells that are not being used.

We ate dinner tonight at Agape's favorite restaurant, the Western Steer, which really isn't named that anymore, but old habits die hard with Agape. After supper, we went over to watch some of the Upward basketball games and hear the Mt. Vale youth praise band play. Lots of hugs there! Katy, Daisy, and Rachel were jamming in the band. Elizabeth Anne arrived to play her game with all of her birthday slumber party guests in tow. And Valerie is sooooo excited because it is her first sleep-over ever and, "I'm only 7 and Briana had to wait until she was 13 before she slept over!" She is bubbling over. Her mom is probably at home throwing up. Everywhere we look, there are more of my handbell kids there. Agape kept exclaiming, "Look mom! There's another one of your hand-bellers!"

We wrapped the evening up at the Blue Ridge Backroads live radio broadcast at the Rex. This is just one of those completely ubiquitous Galax things to do. Jo Anne and Betty, the clogging teachers, meet you at the door, and then proceed to fawn all over Agape and how much they miss her at the classes. (They loved her so much, that they wouldn't let me pay them anymore!) Agape heads right down to the front and shakes her booty there the whole show. Tonight, the Snyder Family Band from Lexington, NC were the guests. I met this family last year at the Appalachian JAM night, and I absolutely LOVE them! They are a beautiful, oh so sweet, homeschooling family, and extraordinarily talented, too! And Laine even remembered my name from meeting me last year! So that you can see for yourself, I am embedding a Youtube video of them here for you to watch. After watching the video, surf on over to The Snyder Family Band website and buy one of their brand-spankin' new CD's.

I'm off to bed early tonight for tomorrow we PAR-TAY down at the Rescue Mission all day!

Christmas Handbell Showcase

Here's a bonus feature: Some excerpts of my Christmas handbell performances!

First, the super-duper JoyBell Ringers playing "He is Born":

And, the Rejoice Ringers, playing "Down By the Riverside" at Starmount Presbyterian Church in Greensboro. This was not a very good space to play and record in. The room just swallowed all our bass.

 Rejoice plays on one of the largest collections of handbell instruments in the world: 7+ octaves of Malmark bells,  an additional 3 octaves of Malmark bells, 7 octaves + 3 octaves of handchimes, 3 octaves of Whitechapel bells, 3 octaves of Petit and Fritzen bells, and 2 octaves Malmark Cymbells. The JoyBells play on 5 octaves of Schulmerich bells and 3 octaves of Schulmerich chimes, and wish that we had 2 more octaves of bells and 4 more octaves of chimes.

First Look at the Wedding

Photo by Sara Hall Bulkley

My dear, sweet friend, Michelle Galyean, has saved me from editing hell by posting some of her shots of the wedding on her blog. Bless your soul, forever, girl! You did a rock-solid job; I couldn't be more pleased. Since I haven't gotten around to editing any wedding pictures yet (well, only one) (and I am ashamed to admit that I haven't even seen them all yet . . . shocking!) You will just have to surf on over to Michelle's blog to see.

Here is something else that is just sooooo sweet:
This is a video that my friend, Lynn, made of her daughter Alaina to enter into the Kid's Carol Contest on Spirit FM. She made it with her little digicam. I LOVE her concept and I really love that precious little girl. So sweet, innocent, and heartfelt!

Veteran's Day Tribute

Yes, I know this is a few days late, but the sentiment and gratitude is just as heartfelt as ever. We made this little video last Sunday while Melissa was still flush with pride and excitement because she sang the Star Spangled Banner at her church in honor of the veterans. You might not think that what you are seeing on this video is interesting or exciting, but it represents HUGE accomplishments that these girls have made in facing their challenges. We wish to dedicate it to all of our Veterans. You are our HEROES!!



I actually did try to upload this last week, but our intermittent internet service stymied the attempt. We have finally reached the last straw with Embarq's off and on service and switched over to cable, which has brought about a rather ground-breaking, earth-shaking change to our household of 35 and a half years: For the first time ever, we have TV in our house! (Well, at least for 6 months, until the special introductory offer expires.) So, I am rediscovering the main reason why I can't live in a house with TV: it totally sucks me in! As if I didn't have enough excuses to stay up all night, last night I stayed up until 4 in the morning watching an Emergency Room show on Discovery channel. Reason #2 (or perhaps, this should be reason #1) I am constantly telling Agape to be quiet. . . .ughh

Distinctly Teen Live on TV This Morning!!!!

Sorry about the goofy voice over; I am trying to learn how to use photo booth to record video. And of course, the picture is backwards. That's what happens when I just hold the computer up in front of the TV. BUT, Look for The Golden Girl, Briana, playing one of her fave pieces of handbell music!!

News from Florida

BIG NEWS FLASH FROM FLORIDA!!!!!
Briana got to play with Ring of Fire and Jason Wells tonight!!!




See Briana and Ring of Fire!

The slideshow music is from the Rejoice Ringers' brand-spankin' new CD!!! (Does anybody here remember the recording session a year and a half ago???)

Here is the trailer for the Ring of Fire DVD that Jason gave to all the Distinctly Teen participants: (the music is Carmina Burana, which I need to get dressed to go play for Debbie RIGHT NOW!!! It's the opening number of the Symposium final concert.)

Here is a review of the entire concert by the Handbell Podcast guys, Paul Weller and Dean Jensen:

Review of the Ring of Fire Concert
By Dean | August 6, 2008
Dean: The concert is about to begin. The room is quieting down as the lights dim. Introduction by Jenny Cauhorn.
Dean: Tempest by Kevin McChesney. Jason’s command of the group is amazing. They watch and respond to every motion. WOW they went from pp to ff in a single measure. You hear EVERY dynamic change. The energy flowing through this room is intense. As the dynamics change the motion of the ringers change. With softer moments they are close to the table and moving slowly. When the crescendos happen, their movements get bigger and more wild.

Paul: I am attempting to photograph them as they play this song without any real success because they are moving way too fast. What energy!

Dean: Carillon by Dean Wagner. The synchronized movements really add to this piece. You can really see the moving eight notes. You can follow the melody. WOW, a crescendo with marts. The way they build this piece up is amazing. The last chord was played identically from every ringer.

Paul: sense the wind flowing through the bells. This is a slower tempo then I’m used to hearing Carillon played at. Jason is directing it in 2 which makes it flow better, but the tempo is about quarter note=120. I am really enjoying Jason’s artistic choices with this piece. The middle section with the martellatos was done very softly and gently whereas I usually hear it very bombastic and loud. Usually when I hear this piece it is an exercise in Forte and how loud a group can play. ROF made this song a lesson in how to play softly and with delicate precision.

Dean: Jason just called for 13 volunteers from the audience. (Briana was one of the volunteers) He is having the kids play through Carillon. Counting out and commenting on the different musical lines. He stopped after about two pages of music. He started working with the bass, then moved up to the battery and treble singing the different lines. This is the third time through the piece and it will be the last time with the music. He is already working with dynamics. The group has moved past reading the notes into making music. Now the music has been removed from the tables. Here they go. A little shaky but very well done. The kids are a little scared but relaxing as the realize they know this piece already. In just 8 short minutes they went from just seeing a piece to playing it memorized. As the kids returned to their chairs, Jason handed them a copy of the Ring of Fire DVD.

Paul: At this point Jason asks for 13 volunteers from the Distinctly Teen kids to come up on stage. The unwitting volunteers stand at the tables with the members of ROF behind them. Jason says the challenge will be to memorize a chunk of Carillon in 8 minutes. They begin by just sight-reading the piece 3 times…and then the music went away.

Dean: Capriccio by Kevin McChesney. This piece opens with a very loud series of chords. Then the music backs off into a very soft melodic part. They transition many times between the loud and the soft parts, never slowing down or losing energy. The middle of the piece is a very open lyrical section. What amazes me about this part is the crescendos with off the table malleted bells. WOW, they just moved from ringing to marting to mallets so fluidly I almost missed it. Once you give a group permission to move, they take the music and add a whole different dimension.

Paul: The song that helped give ROF its name because at the top of the music it says “with fire” and this has become one of ROF’s signature songs. The second section of this piece has a beautiful suspended mallet part in which the group plays each note as part of a crescendo and lifts their arms up. The overtones on the C5 (I think) that is malleted over and over during this section are a bit funky. Not sure if it’s because it’s malleted or if because the casting itself is a bit “off”.

Dean: They are taking a few minutes to introduce all the different members of the group.

Paul: Now the ringers come in front of the tables and sit on the edge of the stage and introduce each other. I’m amazed to hear that this is someone’s first year in ROF. The two new ringers are from a group in Vermont that Jason knows and has been in contact with. They fit seamlessly into ROF.

Dean: Siyahamba – this is a piece with a conga drum. The malleted bass is a great foundation for the melody. The bass ringers are changing places. Again, their dynamic control is amazing.

Paul: They start this song VERY softly, as if from far away. It crescendos to about a Mezzo Forte and begins to sound very stately. Then it jumps up to a fortissimo and the energy increases. The song ends the way it began, soft from far away. The entire song was a big crescendo then decrescendo.

Dean: The group just went into the audience and picked 13 ringers to play a piece. They have the volunteers holding the mallets while the member of the group move their hands to Pick A Winner. What a fun piece to watch.

Paul: Again Jason asks for another 13 brave souls to come up to the tables to ring a piece from memory. One of the people picked is Jason’s 3 year old daughter. This time they are not given any music, the members of ROF are standing behind them using the volunteers hands to play the mallets for “pick a winner”

Dean: Jason is highlighting the new Ring of Fire DVD. He just announced that everyone who is participating in the Distinctly Teen event will get their very own copy of the DVD.

Paul: The big announcement was that every Teen in Distinctly Teen is going to receive not only a free copy of the new ROF DVD but also a copy of Tim Waugh’s newly published piece that he wrote for ROF.

Dean: Fire Dance – Kevin McChesney. This piece includes a guitar. I am just sitting here in awe listening to this amazing performance. I cannot emphasize enough the dynamic control of this group. AMAZING! The members of Ring of Fire own the music in every sense. They are a part of the music. The music is inside them and they are sharing it with us. With some groups, its the director that makes the group, but with these ringers, they are the complete package. I really get the feeling they are there to support each other an share their gifts and talents with us.

Paul: Adapted from the show Riverdance. This is a piece with handbells and guitar. I am disappointed in the audio settings for the guitar, it is much too bass heavy and it gives the guitar a sluggish feel. After the a-section of the song, the guitarist puts down the guitar and they move into a fast a furious b-section

Dean: If there was a mistake in this concert, I could not find it. This was a flawless concert. It had everything that I would want in a concert. It was fun, entertaining and the music was exceptional.

Paul: As I watched this concert I noticed the similarities between ROF and many of the Japanese choirs that I have seen here at the symposium. It is clear to me that this is the way handbells will achieve success in the music mainstream…ringers without barriers between themselves and the audience. It’s the only true way to use this instrument as others use their instrument. Since we have broken apart the melodic lines, we need to move as one instrument and connect as one instrument and not 13 individuals.

The Gift of a Peaceful Moment

A pretty view of the James River and something pretty to listen to from my ringers. Enjoy a few minutes of relaxation!



These are exciting times for the JoyBell Ringers. Two weeks ago, we were interviewed by our local paper, the Galax Gazette and tonight I had another interview for an article about homeschoolers and handbells that will appear in Overtones, the publication of the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers. Better get in lines, folks for our world tour!

JoyBell Ringers Play Capriccio

TA-DAA!!!!
It's taken me several months of off and on effort to figure out how to download video from our new video camera, then find the actual files of the video clips in my computer, then just today, with Amy's generous help, to figure out that I have to export the clips to a compressed format for the web. So here it is: The JoyBell Ringers playing their new favorite piece in our concert at Salemtowne earlier this month.


This is a wonderful original handbell composition by Kevin McChesney. Following is some insightful commentary about the piece by Jason Wells, Director of Ring of Fire:

Capriccio has been the cornerstone piece for Ring of Fire since we
started this adventure in 1997. And for the first few years ROF
blasted their way through it as if running for our lives from hungry
tigers! With no mental imagery, we were left with "This piece ROCKS!
- Let's GO!" We had no sense of the true scope of the piece. That is
until Kevin (McChesney, the composer)came out to Portland for one of his sessions with us.

He told us to think of the "story" of the piece - to imagine angels
dancing around the throne of God - a Heavenly celebration in the
opening A section. And then for the B section - to imagine those
very angels looking on in horror as Christ was hung on the cross - He
then asked us to focus on the resurrection as it explodes into
celebration as Christ rises from the tomb for the restatement of the
A.

For us - we've found other images that help the piece "speak" - we
imagine the sword piercing Christ's side with the dissonant chord in
measure 86 with the Gb3. Also, after seeing "The Passion of the
Christ," I now often drag out measure 90 (with a C2 added) for a good
10 seconds - I visualize that tear from God falling from Heaven and
splashing at the foot of the cross - very "IT IS FINISHED."

We have many visual clues packed through the piece - from the stone
rolling away in measures 95-97 - to the "uplifting" mart lifts in
measures 103 and 105 - to the final incredible celebration of reunion
and victory as the piece wraps up on the final page - I believe those
images are flashing through the kids' minds each and every
performance - I see it on their faces - and it helps to keep the
piece "alive" year after year.

God is So Good

I spent the better (and much earlier!) part of today writing a letter of recommendation to support Briana's application to win a scholarship to attend the premier Distinctly Teen event in Orlando this summer. I really, really, really, really, really, want her to win it!!! In digging up evidence to support her case, I came across this old video of her and Dylan playing this duet their first year in bells. They were SO good and SO little then!! I hope you aren't too embarrassed to find this on my blog, Briana! Here's wishing you all the luck and more than a few prayers that they pick you. And if anybody from the national AGEHR office just so happens to drop by, I have some good advice for you: Pick a Winner! Pick Briana!!

The MOM Overture

Here is something just for all the moms out there, or anybody who has a mother, or anybody else who has ever said or heard the words, "Because I said so!"

I spent a sweet couple of hours today with my firstborn before she crosses back over the big pond. She flew from the nest at age 15 (school at the NC School of the Arts) which means she got short-changed hearing these life-changing words of wisdom for only half of her life. The ones I hope she remembers the mosts are "I Love You." "I'm the MOM!"
Pictures at an Exhibition Jigsaw Puzzle

Rain, Rain, Go Away . . .

Mountain Mist Jigsaw Puzzle

*Sigh*

The first official day of Camp McPherson has been a wash-out. The dreary, misty day has, however, given me the perfect opportunity to share this video of the JoyBell Ringers playing the second movement of Dobrinski's "Virginia Highlands Suite." It's hauntingly beautiful, evocative, and rich in imagery. It reminds me of sitting by the river at sundown. The sudden drop in temperature causes the mist to mysteriously hover over the swirling waters. I can hear the ebb and flow of the current as the waters slide over the tinkling pebbles. So, just click on the play button, close your eyes, and let the melancholy notes sooth your soul.

Out of Africa

Out of Africa Jigsaw Puzzle
One of the most popular classes at music camp is the African Drumming class. These are just a few of the instruments used in that class.

And now for a song that is (sorta) out of Africa, too: Katelyn singing "Down in the River to Pray" at the music camp talent show.