My first week in
Sonos, and I've already come up against a new challenge (other than keeping up
with more challenging music and better ringers than me)! There's a set of 4 pieces we play in which I
need to thumb damp both bells while playing 4-i-H (that's 4 in hand, for those
unfamiliar with the abbreviation). For
the past 13 years, I've been playing 4-i-H with the ring/knock (ring and push,
per Michéle Sharik) style of 4-i-H. I
love this style, and I'm super comfortable with it. However, it is definitely not ideal for
trying to thumb damp two bells in the same hand (or thumb damping the secondary
bell at all if it's larger than a 7). At
least not for me. So, I was shown a
different way to hold 4-i-H bells, that
is what Michéle Sharik calls interlocked British/Japanese style 4-i-H. It is messing with my head quite a bit. I know I will get it, but it's going to take
a lot of work before it's comfortable.
My biggest struggle so far has been getting both bells to ring together
in this set up.
About Me
- Michele Meenk
- I'm a musical gal from a musical family. I've been playing piano for 20 years and ringing bells for 18. I taught myself saxophone in Jr High, and have toyed around on other reed instruments. I'm in the process of teaching myself guitar. I was not a music major in college because I thought I would grow to hate music if I made it my profession, so I studied psychology instead. I'm now in the process of applying to a Master's degree program in music therapy (silly of me to not take music before, huh?). Music is in my heart and soul, and handbells definitely dominate my passion for music. I find something magical in holding a bell in my hand, and I'm in awe when a group of 13 people stands at a table and brings a set of bronze bells to life. I learned to play bells in elementary school, and I definitely believe that bells are great for young and budding musicians. It is my dream to start a music therapy program and community education program to bring bells and music to kids who might not have opportunities to experience how much fun music truly is.
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