English Handbells and Handchimes in the School Music
Curriculum
Dr.
Kenneth L. Liske
Midwest
Kodály
Music
Educators
Conference
October 17, 2009 •
Milwaukee, WI
This session is meant to address rationales,
objectives, and curricular models for incorporating handchime
instruments and English Handbells in the upper elementary through high
school curricula, both in classroom instruction and performance
settings. It will include hands-on ringing experience for beginners,
excerpts, examples of effective strategies, literature, and
instructional materials. Practical information for obtaining chimes and
support will also be addressed.
Handchimes as Instructional Tools
Handchimes are well suited for classroom music instruction:
- Musical Elements like Rhythm, Melody, Harmony, Texture, Dynamics,
Timbre,
and Form can easily be isolated, studied, and experienced.
- Concepts such as duration and pitch are visually reinforced using
handchimes.
- Students with varying levels of musical experience and physical
coordination
can quickly succeed, and performance difficulty can be increased in
successive
steps.
- Handchimes can be integrated with other classroom music
experiences and
approaches.
- Classroom handchime experiences can be designed to lead to
authentic
performance
experiences.
Handchimes for Classroom Performance
Handchimes make excellent classroom performance instruments:
- They immediately incorporate authentic performance skills which
students
can experience and demonstrate.
- They combine visual, aural, and movement stimuli, making
handchime
performance
a satisfying experience for many students.
- Chime ensembles of varying size and musical experience may be
formed.
An
entire class can be actively engaged in making music.
- They produce a pleasant quality of tone which blends well with
young
voices.
Instructional choral literature sometimes includes chimes.
- They offer comparatively low cost, high durability, ease of
storage and
transport.
Handchime Support
Membership in the American Guild Of English Handbell Ringers (AGEHR)
includes professional support and resources, seminars, workshops,
handbell
festivals, and subscriptions including the journal Overtones.Contact
AGEHR
to
find
your area leadership directory or to inquire about
handchime
loan programs, grants, and director's scholarships.
The American Guild Of English Handbell Ringers, Inc
1055 E. Centerville Station Road, Dayton, OH 45459-5503
AGEHR Handbell Hotline: 1-800-878-5459 http://www.agehr.org/
CHIME -- The Committee for Handbells/Handchimes in Music
Education
(the music education arm of AGEHR)
Some Suggested Resources
To purchase resources from AGEHR, visit http://www.agehr.org/
To purchase resources from MENC, visit http://www.menc.org/
- Handchimes in General Music: A Curriculum Guide, Janet
Van
Valey
and Martha Avery
- Grades 1-3, AGEHR #R-212
- Grades 4-6, AGEHR #R-213
- Quick Foundations, Kirtsy Mitchell, AGEHR #R-218
- Teaching Young Ringers, Carolynne Mathis, AGEHR #R-217
- Musical
Elements:
Classroom
Method
for
Handchimes, Kenneth Liske, AGEHR #R-216
- Learning to Ring Series, Janet Van Valey and Susan Berry
- Using Handchimes, Lorenz #HB-315
- All-Time Favorites, Lorenz #HB-266
- Director's Manual, Lorenz #HB-200
- Let's Ring Chimes and Bells, Kirtsy Mitchell, Lorenz
#CGBK-48
- Clapper Classics, Martha Lynn Thompson and Frances
Callahan,
Agape
#1253
- Adaptive Notation for Handbells, Letha McGrew, AGEHR
#R-204
- Dalcroze Applications for Handbells, Keilniarz, AGEHR
#R-215
- Meeting National Standards with Handbells and Handchimes,
McBride
and Baldwin, MENC #1712
- Chime Magic,
Linda
Miller, Jeffers
Handbell Supply (1-800-JHS-BELL)
Handchime Manufacturers
For pricing information and available products, visit each
manufacturer's
web page. Click the product name below to go directly to the purchase
information
for that product.
Malmark
Choirchimes
Malmark, Inc.
Bell Crest Park, PO Box 1200
Plumbsteadville, PA 18949
1-800-426-3235
www.malmark.com
Schulmerich
MelodyChimes & MelodyWave
Schulmerich Bells
Carillon Hill, PO Box 903
Sellersville, PA 18960-0903
1-800-772-3557
www.schulmerichbells.com
Suzuki
Tone
Chimes & Chimettes
Suzuki Corporation
PO Box 261030
San Diego, CA 92196-1030
1-800-854-1594
www.suzukimusic.com
Rhythm
Band
Belleplates
Rhythm Band Instruments, Inc.
P.O. Box 126,
Ft. Worth, TX 76101
www.rhythmband.com
