Ringing in Varied Styles

While sitting in the Mary Jane Teall Theater in Wichita a few weeks ago listening to the Pinnacle performances, I felt an array of emotions. These feelings were not just caused by the music itself, but also by recognizing that there were 400+ people sharing these musical experiences.

In an article entitled “How Music Resonates in the Brain*” by Allison Eck in a 2024 Harvard Medicine Magazine, Patrick Whelan, a Harvard Medical School lecturer in pediatrics at Massachusetts General Hospital, has observed that sitting in a concert audience “can be a profound, prosocial experience…the music takes over the mental faculties of all the people who are attending.” He continues, “it puts everyone in the same emotional place.”

I don’t 100% agree with Dr. Whelan’s opinion that we are all transported to the same emotional place. However, I do believe that we each go to our emotional place. In Ms. Eck’s article (which I encourage you to read), she talks about how sound is related to emotional and physical response. “The valence of the music, which signals whether the music feels positive, negative, or somewhere in between, influences the autonomic nervous systems.”

I’m sure we can all think of compositions that increase our heart rates or cause the hair on our arms to stand up when they are heard. Ms. Eck mentions the suspenseful Jaws theme in her article, and I counter that with the wonderfully positive “You Can’t Stop the Beat” from the finale of Hairspray.

During the week of performances in Kansas, some of the music performed was familiar to me, which brought back memories of past concerts or feelings that I have experienced previously. Other compositions were completely new to me, which I believe inspired my ears and mind to listen differently. I happen to enjoy this kind of listening experience, though not everyone does. Some people relate unknown to uncomfortable, which is mentioned in the article.

My enthusiasm may come from years of working with visionary artistic directors who were champions of new music, or by having had access to a rich variety of artistic experiences in the New York area for most of my life. No matter the reason, I value opportunities to experience new music personally.

Music that is composed and arranged for handbells is still relatively new. Recently, on an HMA event meeting call, one of our committee members talked about how fortunate we are to have access to so many prolific handbell composers and arrangers who are open to meeting people and talking about their processes and gifts. I concur and encourage you to take the time to speak with them at events.

The music at Pinnacle varied in so many ways; there were classical handbell pieces, new compositions, folk songs, Latin dances, and more. The performers themselves were diverse—small ensembles, full choirs, soloists, young ringers, ensembles with decades of experience, musicians from rural areas, musicians from cities, and from around the world. There was something for everyone within those ten performances.

Handbell Musicians of America is proud to have presented such a wide range of music. Thank you for being part of the event, either in-person, or by watching the livestream performances.

Linda Onorevole
Executive Director

*Article link: https://magazine.hms.harvard.edu/articles/how-music-resonates-brain

**Livestream link: https://pinnacle.handbellmusicians.org/musician-showcases/

While sitting in the Mary Jane Teall Theater in Wichita a few weeks ago listening to the Pinnacle performances, I felt an array of emotions. These feelings were not just caused by the music itself, but also by recognizing that there were 400+ people sharing these musical experiences.

In an article entitled “How Music Resonates in the Brain*” by Allison Eck in a 2024 Harvard Medicine Magazine, Patrick Whelan, a Harvard Medical School lecturer in pediatrics at Massachusetts General Hospital, has observed that sitting in a concert audience “can be a profound, prosocial experience…the music takes over the mental faculties of all the people who are attending.” He continues, “it puts everyone in the same emotional place.”

I don’t 100% agree with Dr. Whelan’s opinion that we are all transported to the same emotional place. However, I do believe that we each go to our emotional place. In Ms. Eck’s article (which I encourage you to read), she talks about how sound is related to emotional and physical response. “The valence of the music, which signals whether the music feels positive, negative, or somewhere in between, influences the autonomic nervous systems.”

I’m sure we can all think of compositions that increase our heart rates or cause the hair on our arms to stand up when they are heard. Ms. Eck mentions the suspenseful Jaws theme in her article, and I counter that with the wonderfully positive “You Can’t Stop the Beat” from the finale of Hairspray.

During the week of performances in Kansas, some of the music performed was familiar to me, which brought back memories of past concerts or feelings that I have experienced previously. Other compositions were completely new to me, which I believe inspired my ears and mind to listen differently. I happen to enjoy this kind of listening experience, though not everyone does. Some people relate unknown to uncomfortable, which is mentioned in the article.

My enthusiasm may come from years of working with visionary artistic directors who were champions of new music, or by having had access to a rich variety of artistic experiences in the New York area for most of my life. No matter the reason, I value opportunities to experience new music personally.

Music that is composed and arranged for handbells is still relatively new. Recently, on an HMA event meeting call, one of our committee members talked about how fortunate we are to have access to so many prolific handbell composers and arrangers who are open to meeting people and talking about their processes and gifts. I concur and encourage you to take the time to speak with them at events.

The music at Pinnacle varied in so many ways; there were classical handbell pieces, new compositions, folk songs, Latin dances, and more. The performers themselves were diverse—small ensembles, full choirs, soloists, young ringers, ensembles with decades of experience, musicians from rural areas, musicians from cities, and from around the world. There was something for everyone within those ten performances.

Handbell Musicians of America is proud to have presented such a wide range of music. Thank you for being part of the event, either in-person, or by watching the livestream performances.

Linda Onorevole
Executive Director

*Article link: https://magazine.hms.harvard.edu/articles/how-music-resonates-brain

**Livestream link: https://pinnacle.handbellmusicians.org/musician-showcases/

Linda Onorevole
Executive Director