What: 23rd Annual Sierra Spring Ring
When: Saturday, May 10th, 2025
Where: Sparks United Methodist Church, 1231 Pyramid Way, Sparks, NV 89431
Fee: $20/person by April 28, 2025, $40/person after April 28
How to register: Complete the paper form and mail with registration fee(s) OR register online.
Via mail: 2025 Sierra Spring Ring Registration Form (print, complete, & mail with payment)
Online: Registration Form (complete online and pay via PayPal)
Massed Pieces:
Inception by Jason Krug, pub. Lorenz, 2-3 oct. 20/2021L, 3-5 oct. 20/2020L
The King Shall Come, arr. Cathy Moklebust, pub. Choristers Guild, 2-3 oct. CGB690, 3-6 oct. CGB691
You can order both at https://handbellworld.com. We’ll also learn a short processional during the event.
Director’s Notes for both pieces are coming soon to help you prepare for the massed ring sessions. These notes are crafted with helpful tips about the history, style, and techniques used in the music and a deeper dive into the musicality of the pieces with information specific how the clinician will be rehearsing the massed sessions. Basically, they’re the Cliff Notes, and equally valuable!
Schedule:
- 8:15 Check in & setup
- 9:00 Warm up & announcements
- 9:10 Massed rehearsal
- 10:50 Break
- 11:05 Class session I
- 11:50 Lunch break & solo rehearsals
- 12:40 Class session II
- 1:30 Massed rehearsal
- 2:45 Break
- 3:00 Sharing (public welcome)
- 3:30 Pack up
Solos: We encourage choirs, ensembles and soloists to favor us with a piece during our public sharing time. There will be substitutes available if needed.
Bring: Tables, pads, bells, gloves, pencils, folders & prepared music (no photocopies, please). We have a limited amount of tables. If you can, please bring your own. Contact us ASAP (no later than April 25) if you need us to provide tables*. There may be a rental fee if we run out of tables and need to use a party supplier. *Please note: we are not able to supply pads.
Session I Classes :
- Ringing without Music: Have fun ringing bells without the hassle of reading music!
- Weaving: It’s not just for hair and baskets! Learn how to handle multiple bells using this technique.
- Booms and Beats: Have you ever wondered what those weird colored tubes are that you whack? BOOMWACKERS are fun and versatile! This class takes multiple rhythmic ostinatos from our pieces and puts them on Boomwackers to create a whole new work of art.
Session II Classes:
- Healthy Ringing=Ringing Well: We all love our sport of handbells, but sometimes our sport doesn’t love us back and we feel pain or discomfort while ringing. Come with us to discover some techniques to use to help us ring safely so we can extend our life of healthy ringing.
- 4 in Hand: Learn the basics of the 4-in-hand technique, which truly means just two bells per hand (its inventor wanted to sound really impressive!)
- Preparation Without Bells: Tips and strategies for learning your music, keeping it fresh in your head, and polishing up the tough spots at home without a set of bells. Be ready to nail it at your next rehearsal with just a few focused strategies that fit around your busy lifestyle.
Support Sierra Spring Ring and other handbell community outreach events:
Help keep SSR and Bell Jam low-cost and accessible to all by donating to Tintabulations through this link or purchasing our merchandise on Red Bubble.