The Potomac Honors and Landon Advanced Handbell Ensembles - National Seminar 2024

Sponsored by Matthew Compton - www.bellsofthe...
Proclamation; Michael Joy; CGB655
Rustic Dance; Margaret Tucker; AG35037
Appassionato; Christian Guebert; EGM126
Dandelion Wine; Tim O’Grady; CGB1229
Damage Control; Alex Guebert; Unpublished
Acclamation; Arnold Sherman; CGB288
Fancye; Tim Waugh; JHS9336
Fantasy on KINGS WESTON; arr. Fred Gramann; HP1671
Prayer for the Innocents; Michael Helman; LC201964L
What a Wonderful World; Weiss & Thiele / arr. Sandra Eithun; HP2702
Reverberations; Lloyd / arr. Jennifer Fry; BEHB636
The Potomac School, located in McLean, VA, has included handbells as part of their school curriculum for over 50 years. The program was founded by a pillar in the greater Washington, DC, handbell community, Nancy Poore Tufts in the 1960s. The program grew over the decades under other great teachers including Charm Peterman and Nancy Cappel. Nick first began teaching at Potomac in 2006 leading four handbell classes incorporating between 50-60 students between 5th grade through high school. Today, there are now six handbell classes/groups: a 4th grade introductory class, a 5th grade ensemble, a 6th grade ensemble, a combined 7th/8th grade ensemble (averaging over 50 students a year), and two high school classes. The Honors Ensemble began in 2018 with seven students in the 9th grade and has now grown to 26 ringers with students from 9th-12th grade.
In the spring of 1979, eight Form I boys began the first Landon Handbell Ringers using two-octave sets of bells borrowed initially from Stone Ridge School, and later from All Saints’ Church. Their first rehearsal rooms were the former Sun Porch and Dining Room (now the Headmaster’s Office) of the Andrews House. The initial repertoire was simple by present standards, and most of it was hand-written by the director. Interest in this unique musical experience grew, and by 1980 Landon had purchased its own set of bells, which has been augmented over the years through the generous donations of parents, students, and alumni. There are now five groups of handbell ringers in Grade 6 - Form VI arranged in five consecutive skill levels from Beginners to Advanced. They practice daily with a seven-octave set of bells (including both the traditional bronze and newer aluminum bass bells), an auxiliary seven-octave set of chimes, and a variety of additional percussion instruments. We now have one complete seven-octave bell set, two complete five-octave bell sets, one complete six-octave chime set, and six complete three-octave chime sets.