We are our own worst ememy We have to be real musicians

We are our own worst ememy

Jason writes:

     > It also means that our repertoire will forever be
     > limited by worship uses - essentially music that
     > somehow incorporates sacred melodies or tries to
     > provide a direct link between music and a mood
     > appropriate for worship.  Handbells are already
     > associated with this type of music, usually to our
     > detriment; our most common [audience] reaction after
     > a performance is "I didn't know you could *do* that
     > on handbells."  This is an explicit statement of the
     > understanding that the general public has of
     > handbells.

What I'm going to say might really piss people off. I'm sorry. That's not why I'm saying it. I want us ALL to make handbell ringing a cool thing to do. I want people around the world to say "I think handbells are bitchen". I want Sonos to sell a kjillion albums. I want Campanile to be on tour 100 days a year (with the other 200 in the studio). I want the newbiest ringer to have a slew of professional ringers to look up to, be inspired by, and aspire to surpass.

But growth usually hurts too. So here goes.

SOMETIMES RINGERS ARE THEIR OWN WORST ENEMIES. Sorry. Here's what I mean.

In the past year, Campanile has made less of an effort to further itself in the handbell community, and more of an effort to promote ourselves to the rest of the world at large.

Do you know what we have found? (Sorry, folks, you're not gonna like this. We don't like it either. But it's the truth.)

People who "know about bells" or "used to play bells" or "hear bells every week in church" dismiss us completely. They never even bother to find out what we do. They think they know what bells can do, and they DON'T RESPECT IT.

BUT, people who had NEVER seen bells before took the time to find out what we do, and then they GAVE US A JOB!

This was not an isolated incident or three. We found this syndrome time after time. It's making us crazy!

Now, here's the GOOD news. Each and every one of us has the power to change this! It is OUR attitudes and actions that will change the image of ringing. Nobody else can do it for us. If we don't respect ourselves, and if we don't do the work to earn that respect, then nobody else will respect us either.

Every time you apologise for ringing, you hurt us all. Every time you call yourselves "ding a lings" you hurt us all. Every time you say, "well, we're only a volunteer bell choir", you hurt us all.

Every time you give a great performance (secular OR worship) you help us all. Every time you introduce someone to bells as an INSTRUMENT as opposed to a "worship tool" you help us all. Every time you have a great idea and implement it, even if it's "not the way it's done", you help us all.

What does this have to do with your little choir in a little church in a little town with one hour of rehearsal time a week? EVERYTHING!

The difference between that little group and Raleigh or Sonos or CB or Campanile is ONE thing: commitment. If we put our minds to it, we (yes, YOU too!) can do anything. Maybe your big step is a piece JUST a little harder. Maybe it's the decision to play the easy pieces BETTER. And, if you care about bells, you must support the advanced groups in their quest for the respect they deserve. Go to concerts. Go to AGEHR conferences. Buy albums. And you know what? If you and your little group DO those things, I bet you, yourselves, will move to the next level. (That was NOT a commercial, btw.....there are plenty of other great choices around besides Campanile.)

We're all here to help each other. Let's look FORWARD instead of inward, and all go there together, shall we?

Written by:

Rima
rima@campanilemusic.com
Campanile, Los Angeles
22 May 1998

Archived original can be found at: Easy/Hard Rant
Campanile can be found at: Campanile
Sonos can be found at: Sonos

We have to be real musicians

Jason concludes his response to Douglas Jones' rant:

     > This is a long process, essentially trying to show
     > that the traditional conception of bells is a
     > *mis*conception, and that we are limited only by
     > ourselves: how much we WANT it.

And then Marnie asks:

     > Why is it so important that we compare ourselves to
     > orchestras or other professional groups?

I'm probably mostly preaching to the converted here, since most of the folks who Grok it are on this list, and most of the folks who don't, aren't. But here goes anyway.

:::Deep breath:::

Nobody is going to give ringers any respect until we respect ourselves.

That means we, ringers and directors, have to raise the bar. If people think ringers aren't "real musicians", it's probably because their experience is with ringers who aren't "real musicians".

If we want people to understand that ringers are "real musicians", we have to BE "real musicians". In fact, we have to be BETTER musicians, just to overcome the stereotype and come even with the rest of the musical universe.

Let us encourage the smallest, meekest bell choir with the newest director to raise the bar just a little. To try the best they can, to seek out bell mentors, to attend conferences, to make an extra effort. Let's help each other to become better musicians, so that Doug's friend's mom can eat crow on a silver platter next time she hears bells. (And I'll tell you a secret - when you work hard, you play better, and when you play better, you have more FUN!)

We compare ourselves to great musicians because we believe that ALL musicians should aspire to greatness (even if we know we're not capable of it.....) It's the QUEST for perfection that counts, and the collateral skill and artistry that comes with it.

Marnie, you say:

     > the majority of us perform for audiences who do not
     > expect a symphony-level performance.

It's because the ONLY place your audience hears bells is usually a non- symphony-level performance, they think ringers aren't CAPABLE of it. And why should they, unless you enlighten them?!

It's up to us. Only we ringers can change what people think of us.

Written by:

Rima
Rima@Campanilemusic.com
Campanile, Los Angeles
12 Jun 1998

Archived original can be found at: Re: Re: A small rant...