by Greig Ashurst
One of my absolute favorite poems is one by John Donne. There are a few phrases in it that we all know and hear in everyday life. It reads:
No man is an island,
Entire of itself,
Every man is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manor of thy friend’s
Or of thine own were:
Any man’s death diminishes me,
Because I am involved in mankind,
And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls;
It tolls for thee.
Our handbell world is so much like this poem. We are all intertwined in some way. We are all “part of the main.” Over the last 35+ years of being a part of the handbell continent, I have seen a few “clod(s) be washed away by the sea.” Not all churches worship the way they did 20 years ago. Many places have replaced handbells in a traditional setting with modern bands playing more contemporary music. Other places have remained steadfast by creating an amalgam in which they have infused the unique handbell sound into the modern worship experience. Fortunately, we have the modern conveniences and tools to share these ideas so that we can rebuild the handbell “continent.” Digital tools like social media and online learning events like the Virtual Winter Workshop are uniquely situated to advance the art of handbell and handchime ringing. I am grateful to be a part of this community of people that is constantly sharing ideas and resources for building a strong handbell community.
When I started my term on the Handbell Musicians of America board three years ago, I created a Google alert for the word “handbells.” This allowed me to receive notifications from various media outlets that published things related to handbells. Getting these alerts is so exciting to me because I am constantly learning about new handbell ensembles and events all over the United States. There are so many great things happening with handbells in America. I can sense that handbells are uniting people through this unique musical art form.
For more than 100 years, handbells have been used to share music through teamwork in the United States. While most musical organizations do rely on some kind of collaboration, there still lies the element of independent contribution to the whole. On the contrary, a handbell ensemble is so interdependent that any musician’s absence diminishes the whole. This applies to more than just the music.
We all know that playing in a music ensemble can enhance our social awareness and interpersonal skills, which are crucial for building and maintaining positive relationships with others. One of the things that I have found to be beneficial to my middle school handbell musicians is seeing them learn to appreciate and celebrate the diversity and uniqueness of each musician in the group. They are learning to develop trust and cooperation. Furthermore, they are improving social skills like empathy and using them to strengthen their social connectedness and sense of belonging.
Finally, being a part of a handbell ensemble enables people to understand their sense of responsibility and interdependence. The entire instrument cannot be played well when one is not there. Being at rehearsals and performances becomes crucial; handbell musicians “never have to send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.”
No man is an island,
Entire of itself,
Every man is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manor of thy friend’s
Or of thine own were:
Any man’s death diminishes me,
Because I am involved in mankind,
And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls;
It tolls for thee.
Our handbell world is so much like this poem. We are all intertwined in some way. We are all “part of the main.” Over the last 35+ years of being a part of the handbell continent, I have seen a few “clod(s) be washed away by the sea.” Not all churches worship the way they did 20 years ago. Many places have replaced handbells in a traditional setting with modern bands playing more contemporary music. Other places have remained steadfast by creating an amalgam in which they have infused the unique handbell sound into the modern worship experience. Fortunately, we have the modern conveniences and tools to share these ideas so that we can rebuild the handbell “continent.” Digital tools like social media and online learning events like the Virtual Winter Workshop are uniquely situated to advance the art of handbell and handchime ringing. I am grateful to be a part of this community of people that is constantly sharing ideas and resources for building a strong handbell community.
When I started my term on the Handbell Musicians of America board three years ago, I created a Google alert for the word “handbells.” This allowed me to receive notifications from various media outlets that published things related to handbells. Getting these alerts is so exciting to me because I am constantly learning about new handbell ensembles and events all over the United States. There are so many great things happening with handbells in America. I can sense that handbells are uniting people through this unique musical art form.
For more than 100 years, handbells have been used to share music through teamwork in the United States. While most musical organizations do rely on some kind of collaboration, there still lies the element of independent contribution to the whole. On the contrary, a handbell ensemble is so interdependent that any musician’s absence diminishes the whole. This applies to more than just the music.
We all know that playing in a music ensemble can enhance our social awareness and interpersonal skills, which are crucial for building and maintaining positive relationships with others. One of the things that I have found to be beneficial to my middle school handbell musicians is seeing them learn to appreciate and celebrate the diversity and uniqueness of each musician in the group. They are learning to develop trust and cooperation. Furthermore, they are improving social skills like empathy and using them to strengthen their social connectedness and sense of belonging.
Finally, being a part of a handbell ensemble enables people to understand their sense of responsibility and interdependence. The entire instrument cannot be played well when one is not there. Being at rehearsals and performances becomes crucial; handbell musicians “never have to send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.”
