by P.L. Grove
Now before you get all defensive over the use of the word “geek,” let’s define it, shall we? And I choose to use THIS definition: A knowledgeable and obsessive enthusiast. Or when used as a verb: Be or become extremely excited or enthusiastic about a subject, typically one of a specialist or minority interest.
P.L. Grove
National Board President
If we’re honest, many of us are handbell geeks. We’re obsessive and enthusiastic about our art. And hopefully we’re knowledgeable (or we’re getting there). But we’re in the minority, which means that we need to unite in order to make our voices heard — in order to have any clout. You might be wondering: why would we need clout?
I received several positive comments about my article in the last Overtones edition, which was written as a response to a question from someone’s pastor as to why the church should support the handbell program. And yet again last month there was another Facebook question from a church musician whose pastoral staff expressed concern over the lack of growth in the music department, specifically handbells. “How do we ‘grow’ the handbell program?” he asked. Once again I found myself on the defensive end of this question. And I’m wondering if that’s the problem.
If we’re truly a handbell “specialist,” an “enthusiast,” who is knowledgeable and extremely excited about our subject, shouldn’t we be on the offensive? Shouldn’t we be shouting it to the rooftops how great handbells are? Shouldn’t we be telling everyone we know that they need to try handbells?
When is the last time someone asked you what instrument you play? And your response was? Probably some mumbled answer that included something like “You probably haven’t heard of it,” or “Yeah, it’s those things that play at Christmas.” Or perhaps you smiled and nodded in anguished agreement when they laughed and said “Oh, yeah, my grandma has those at her church,” or “Right. I used to play those in junior high.” You never bothered to add to their comment by saying “Handbells are one of the best musical teaching tools—let me tell you why.” Or “Do you know how many handbell groups have played on major performance stages around the world?” Or “Did you know that handbell groups have performed with Doc Severinsen, Yo-Yo Ma, Frederica von Stade, on Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion, and with the Kronos Quartet?”
Maybe it seems over the top, but we need to be on the offensive to let people know of the geeky greatness of handbells. And I believe people really like geekiness. And not only geekiness, but underdogs. Witness the rise in the finals on this year’s America’s Got Talent of such acts as a trapeze artist who is partially blind and a comedian with Tourettes Syndrome. Oh yeah, and there were not one, but two choirs in the semi-finals, so don’t count out choir in general as too geeky for the public. And don’t forget the 11-year television run of The Big Bang Theory. Geeky is in.
It’s because there is something that makes those individuals or those programs original. They stand out. And they are authentically themselves. As an instrument, handbells has all of those traits—we just don’t think they do. We don’t believe that handbells themselves are enough. But they are! And if we believe it, the public will. If Samuel J. Comroe, a comedian with Tourettes Syndrome, didn’t believe he could be funny and have something to give to an audience to make them laugh, his jokes would fall flat. And if Tyce Nielsen didn’t believe that being legally blind didn’t matter — that he could still catch his wife on the trapeze — he would not continue to do what he does. And neither of those acts would have made it to the finals of Season 13 of America’s Got Talent.
Okay, so you may not care at all about television talent shows, but think about this: how many young people might find their place among a handbell group, like I did? Like you did? And how will they do that if that handbell group doesn’t exist? If we are the handbell ringers, directors, and leaders of today, we need to have just enough geekiness to make sure there are handbell ringers, directors and leaders tomorrow. And that means we need to be proud of our art and tell people how great it is. By uniting in our geekiness, we can generate a wave of interest in the uniqueness, creativity, authenticity, and togetherness that our instrument creates.
So let’s not be defensive about our geeky art form. Let’s all of us get out there and proudly offend!
P.L. Grove
[email protected]
If we’re honest, many of us are handbell geeks. We’re obsessive and enthusiastic about our art. And hopefully we’re knowledgeable (or we’re getting there). But we’re in the minority, which means that we need to unite in order to make our voices heard — in order to have any clout. You might be wondering: why would we need clout?
I received several positive comments about my article in the last Overtones edition, which was written as a response to a question from someone’s pastor as to why the church should support the handbell program. And yet again last month there was another Facebook question from a church musician whose pastoral staff expressed concern over the lack of growth in the music department, specifically handbells. “How do we ‘grow’ the handbell program?” he asked. Once again I found myself on the defensive end of this question. And I’m wondering if that’s the problem.
If we’re truly a handbell “specialist,” an “enthusiast,” who is knowledgeable and extremely excited about our subject, shouldn’t we be on the offensive? Shouldn’t we be shouting it to the rooftops how great handbells are? Shouldn’t we be telling everyone we know that they need to try handbells?
When is the last time someone asked you what instrument you play? And your response was? Probably some mumbled answer that included something like “You probably haven’t heard of it,” or “Yeah, it’s those things that play at Christmas.” Or perhaps you smiled and nodded in anguished agreement when they laughed and said “Oh, yeah, my grandma has those at her church,” or “Right. I used to play those in junior high.” You never bothered to add to their comment by saying “Handbells are one of the best musical teaching tools—let me tell you why.” Or “Do you know how many handbell groups have played on major performance stages around the world?” Or “Did you know that handbell groups have performed with Doc Severinsen, Yo-Yo Ma, Frederica von Stade, on Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion, and with the Kronos Quartet?”
Maybe it seems over the top, but we need to be on the offensive to let people know of the geeky greatness of handbells. And I believe people really like geekiness. And not only geekiness, but underdogs. Witness the rise in the finals on this year’s America’s Got Talent of such acts as a trapeze artist who is partially blind and a comedian with Tourettes Syndrome. Oh yeah, and there were not one, but two choirs in the semi-finals, so don’t count out choir in general as too geeky for the public. And don’t forget the 11-year television run of The Big Bang Theory. Geeky is in.
It’s because there is something that makes those individuals or those programs original. They stand out. And they are authentically themselves. As an instrument, handbells has all of those traits—we just don’t think they do. We don’t believe that handbells themselves are enough. But they are! And if we believe it, the public will. If Samuel J. Comroe, a comedian with Tourettes Syndrome, didn’t believe he could be funny and have something to give to an audience to make them laugh, his jokes would fall flat. And if Tyce Nielsen didn’t believe that being legally blind didn’t matter — that he could still catch his wife on the trapeze — he would not continue to do what he does. And neither of those acts would have made it to the finals of Season 13 of America’s Got Talent.
Okay, so you may not care at all about television talent shows, but think about this: how many young people might find their place among a handbell group, like I did? Like you did? And how will they do that if that handbell group doesn’t exist? If we are the handbell ringers, directors, and leaders of today, we need to have just enough geekiness to make sure there are handbell ringers, directors and leaders tomorrow. And that means we need to be proud of our art and tell people how great it is. By uniting in our geekiness, we can generate a wave of interest in the uniqueness, creativity, authenticity, and togetherness that our instrument creates.
So let’s not be defensive about our geeky art form. Let’s all of us get out there and proudly offend!
P.L. Grove
[email protected]
P.L. Grove
National Board President
