Welcome to
Area 12

Serving California, Nevada, and Hawaii

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Concordia Handbell Summer Camp

The Concordia Handbell Summer Camp in Southern California is a fun filled experience for kids! Enjoy a memorable week packed full of activities, learning, and music-making on a beautiful college campus. An affordable overnight option is available that includes dorm housing, meals, evening activities, and 24/7 staff supervision. Learn more at bit.ly/Handbellcamp

2026 Conference Composition Content

Area 12 is holding a composition contest to provide a piece for the 2026 conference.  Deadline for submissioin: October 15, 2025.  Click for details.

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Do you want to be a mentor?

Would you like to be a resource for handbells in Area 12? Please click to submit your information to be added to the Area 12 list of teachers and mentors.

(If you are looking for a mentor, please contact the Education Coordinator.)

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Volunteer to serve on the Area 12 Board

There are many appointed positions on the Area 12 Board.  Do you have a few hours every month?  Consider voluntering to serve on the board. Openings include Membership Director, Historian and Event Coordinator.
Contact the Chair if interested in serving on the board.

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Area Webiste Banner Advertising now available!

Do you have an upcoming handbell event? Have a concert? Sell handbell items?  You can now advertise on the Area 12 website right here!

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Check out the latest issue of the 12th Tone Newsletter

Learn more about what upcoming events are happening and what the Area 12 board is up to.

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Donate to Area 12

Calendar

  • 2025 SoCal Spring Ring

    May 2, 2025 - May 3, 2025 @ 
    St. Thomas More Catholic Church, oceanside CA

    Two day workshop with Douglas Lynn conducting.  Bronze ensemble and massed ringing.  Public concert
     
    https://area12.handbellmusicians.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2025/01/2025-SoCalSR.pdf

    This is a Handbell Musicians of America Sponsored Event.
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  • Bay Area Spring Ring

    May 3, 2025 @ 9:00 am - 8:30 pm
    Sunnyvale Presbyterian Church, 728 W Fremont Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94087, USA

    We are excited to share our 2025 Spring Ring information with you! We will be at a new venue:
    Sunnyvale Presbyterian Church
    728 W. Fremont Ave
    Sunnyvale, CA

    This year's director/clinician: Barbara Walsh.

    The Bay Area Spring Ring is a massed ringing event that normally involves ringing time and class instruction. Because the Handbell Ventures Board realizes many handbell groups have spent the past few years away from the handbell tables and may not have had a chance to ring much, we have reformatted the Spring Ring this year to give musicians a full day of ringing. Expect some teaching from the podium. Barbara Walsh is an amazing teacher and conductor.

    MASSED RINGING: Add your notes to those of other ringers and groups to make glorious music together. Please purchase and prepare the music for Massed Ringing in advance. Our massed rehearsal time is SHORT! Barbara will work on the interpretation of the music, not the assignments or notes and rhythms. Although there are five pieces on the massed ringing repertoire list, individuals or full ensembles may choose to sit out of any piece as needed. We want this to be fun and rewarding! Please note that three of the five pieces are arranged for 2 octaves, and that both pieces with brass can be adapted to work for 2 octaves with organ accompaniment.

    INTENSE RING
    But wait, there's more! If you have not participated in this event before, it is a chance to play music under a seasoned director, at a more advanced level than you might experience with your home choir. You will work the piece up to performance level in just one day, with rehearsal on Saturday morning, and a run-through right before the concert: it's intense! But if you love to ring, it's also very fun!

    CONCERT: It's more fun to play for an audience! But we need YOU to invite them! 6:30 p.m. at Sunnyvale Presbyterian Church. Though it is FREE, we will take a free-will offering. Please invite family and friends to the concert featuring YOU!
     
    https://handbellventures.org/springring2025.html
     
    This is a Handbell Musicians of America endorsed event. 
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  • Bay Area Spring Ring - Concert

    May 3, 2025 @ 6:15 pm - 8:00 pm
    Sunnyvale Presbyterian Church, 728 W Fremont Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94087, USA

    CONCERT: It's more fun to play for an audience! But we need YOU to invite them! 6:30 p.m. at Sunnyvale Presbyterian Church. Though it is FREE, we will take a free-will offering. Please invite family and friends to the concert featuring YOU!
     
    https://handbellventures.org/springring2025.html
     
    This is a Handbell Musicians of America endorsed event. 
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  • St. John's Cathedral Bells in Concert

    May 4, 2025 @ 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
    185 S. Center Street, Orange, CA 92866

    Having returned from its Pacific Northwest Tour refreshed and renewed, Cathedral Bells is ready to present another inspiring handbell concert for its beloved St. John’s community. You can expect some fresh new music to be premiered at this delightful afternoon concert, as well as classics such as Cynthia Dobrinski’s lovely arrangement of “Blessed Assurance” which blends in “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”.
     
    https://www.stjohnsorange.org/event/23664898-2025-05-04-cathedral-bells-spring-handbell-concert/

     
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  • “What’s In A Name?” Featuring easily recognized songs with South County Community Handbell Choir

    May 4, 2025 @ 5:00 pm - 6:15 pm
    Christ Lutheran Church, 35522 Camino Capistrano, San Clemente, CA 92672, USA

           

              Please join the South County Community Handbell Choir for a family-friendly toe tapping concert. The concert features songs that most attendees will recognize. It will be a fun-filled concert with audience participation, songs that children will appreciate, choir singing with bells, and fantastic handbell music. We will even have a ukelele and flute.
    The concert is free. A free will offering will be taken with all proceeds going to Family Assistance Ministries.

           

            https://www.schandbell.org/

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  • Sierra Spring Ring

    May 10, 2025
    Sparks United Methodist Church, 1231 Pyramid Way, Sparks, NV 89431, USA

    Massed ringing and classes for beginning and intermediate ringers.

    tintintabulations.com

    This is a Handbell Musicians of America endorsed event.
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  • From Reflection to Joy with LA Bronze Handbell Ensemble

    May 10, 2025 @ 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
    Emmanual Lutheran Church 6020 Radford Ave, North Hollywood, CA 91606

    Join us as we present From Reflection to Joy under the direction of Lynn Atkins, a special concert to celebrate our 15th year. Reception following the concert. For questions, please contact [email protected]
     
           

            https://www.labronzehandbells.org/

     
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  • Ringing in Spring - concert with San Diego Harmony Ringers

    May 17, 2025 @ 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
    House of Prayer Lutheran Church, ELCA, 795 N Rose St, Escondido, CA 92027, USA

     San Diego Harmony Ringers is an advanced, auditioned community handbell group located in San Diego, California. From a variety of backgrounds and experience, we join together in harmony to ring with passion, beauty of expression, and a joy in sharing our music with our listeners. Selections for our spring concert include Nexus by Matthew Compton; Samba? Samba! By Alex Guebert; Aria by Sondra K. Tucker; The Irish Washerwoman arr. by Leroy Anderson and Hart Morris. Admission is free; free will offering taken during the concert.          

           

            https://www.sdhr.org/

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  • From Reflection to Joy with LA Bronze Handbell Ensemble

    May 17, 2025 @ 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
    Manhattan Beach Community Church 305 S. Peck Ave, Manhattan Beach CA 90266

    Join us as we present From Reflection to Joy under the direction of Lynn Atkins, a special concert to celebrate our 15th year.
     

            https://www.labronzehandbells.org/

     
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  • California Dreaming with Camarillo United Methodist Church Bell Choirs

    May 18, 2025 @ 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
    Camarillo United Methodist Church, 291 Anacapa Dr, Camarillo, CA 93010, USA

    Spring is here - time to celebrate! The Camarillo UMC Bell Choirs are pleased to invite you to our annual spring bell choir concert featuring ALL FIVE of our handbell and chimes choirs. Join us for an afternoon inspiring, eclectic, and FUN handbell music including: "Lord, I Lift Your Name on High'" with choir and percussion; the African-inspired "Sherekea Usafari" by Cathy Moklebust; and Jason Krug's energetic and rhythmic "How Firm a Foundation", a collaboration with Bells of Mount Cross Lutheran. We will also be showcasing music from the great state of California, including: "City of Stars" from the movie "La La Land", "The Best of John Williams", a medley of his remarkable movie music, and the ultimate California tune, "Hotel California". We will be joined our wonderful Chancel Choir under the direction of Luvi Avendano and guest musicians. Join us for this festive event featuring beautiful bell music performed by ringers of ALL ages, from preschool to adult!

    https://camarilloumc.org/
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  • From Reflection to Joy with LA Bronze Handbell Ensemble

    May 18, 2025 @ 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
    Hope Plam Desert 45900 Portola Ave, Palm Desert, CA 92260

    Join us as we present From Reflection to Joy under the direction of Lynn Atkins, a special concert to celebrate our 15th year.
     

            https://www.labronzehandbells.org/

     
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  • Spring Concert with Opus Handbell Ensemble

    May 18, 2025 @ 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
    Trinity United Presbyterian Church, 1600 Carver Rd, Modesto, CA 95350, USA

    This musical garden includes sacred and secular full-bodied blooms and some intense surprises from our “Rhythmic Intensity” CD. The colors reflect spiritual jazz, boisterous syncopation, tranquil beauty, a Jamaican folk tune, the old west, and a little boogie-woogie all fertilized with humility, love and kindness.
    We promise you will leave with some “Spring” in your step!
    Tickets are $20.00 at the door (students $15, children 12 and under, FREE)
     
    https://opushandbell.org/
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Recent News

March board meeting

Mar 15, 2025 |

Your Area 12 Board met in Las Vegas March 14-15 to check out site for the 2026 conference (more details coming soon).  And other business.

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Voting deadline March 2, 2025 midnight (PT)

Mar 1, 2025 | ,

A reminder, the deadline to vote is Sunday night for the Secretary and Treasurer candidates. All HMA members in good standing with voting privileges (excluding Sub Members, Student members) are eligible to vote. Please check out the candidates here and vote.

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Area 12 Elections

Feb 1, 2025 |

Area 12's biennial election for Secretary and Treasurer is live.  Area 12 Handbell Musicians of America voting members may vote until March 2, 2025. Please check out the candidates here.

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Winter 2025 Board Meeting

Jan 27, 2025 |

Your Area 12 board met Saturday, January 25 to work on future events. Welcome to new Social Media Director Harvey Glenn, and new Southern California Regional Coordinator Carol Pickford.

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