Creative Handbell Ringing Workshop hosted by Dr Steve King MBE, from 2-4pm in Dunblane Cathedral Halls

22 May 2027 14:00-16:00

Creative Handbell Ringing Workshop hosted by Dr Steve King MBE, from 2-4pm (including a refreshment break) in Dunblane Cathedral Halls. This is a not-to-be-missed participatory event, the outcome of which will be a short performance of a newly created piece of music that will lend itself to an imaginative performing location, for example, a castle ruin or candle lit room (or perhaps even a Cathedral Hall!).

CREATIVE HANDBELL RINGING 

Dr Steve King MBE

A workshop using Handbells (which will also work with Handchimes or Belleplates), the outcome of which will be a short performance of a piece of music that will lend itself to an imaginative performing location, for example, a castle ruin or candle lit room (or Cathedral Hall!).

Musical ideas and tasks covered will include:

• Improvisation and restricted improvisation.
• Tolling, ostinato, melody, question and answer.
• Distance listening, where each group of players cannot see each other, but only respond in recognition of what they hear.
• Group responses.
• Splitting up into smaller groups and creating short pieces, essentially unsupervised, that reflects the much larger whole piece.
• Developing an awareness of performance practice and how to present a performance; i.e. why should performers and audience stay in one place? What sort of atmosphere or lighting do we require?

Musical notation will not be used.

Aims:

• From the beginning of the workshop through to the final performance, to show accuracy, quality, fluency, integrity and confidence.
• To investigate the beauty and purity of the bell sounds and develop this on equal terms as a team or choir.
• To lay down a structure and create within this, but keeping the integrity of the music to the fore.
• To open up expression and freedom to explore through improvisation.
• To develop the ear to recognise and respond.
• To feel, individually, able and confident to analyse and evaluate the process of creating the group composition.
• To perform.

When available, the registration form will be able to be downloaded from here