Teaching Treble Bell Techniques
This workshop enables both new and experienced church musicians to understand and implement the special skills necessary to ring treble handbells both musically and healthfully. Members of the Back Bay Ringers guide participants through warm-ups, four-in-hand techniques, advanced treble skills, and score analysis, and discuss how to effectively communicate tips and techniques to your musicians.
Norah Piehl
Norah Piehl is executive director of the Back Bay Ringers. She was introduced to handbells in middle school, but took a long hiatus before joining the handbell choir at Trinity Church, Boston in 2001. She joined Back Bay Ringers in the fall of 2005, and quickly assumed a leadership role, publishing the ensemble’s e-newsletter and participating in marketing campaigns. In early 2007, she was named the organization’s executive director, following the departure of co-founding director Peter Coulombe. She has also become a leader in Handbell Musicians of America Area 1, presenting workshops on marketing, branding, and treble bell techniques at directors’ seminars and at the Area 1 Festival/Conference. She currently serves as secretary on the Area 1 Board of Directors and has served as registrar for the Festival/Conference. Her professional background is in the publishing industry. Currently, she is deputy director of the Boston Book Festival.