Events
MBGEHR Fall Workshop
MBGEHR Spring Ring
NEW PLANS FOR SPRING RING 2024!
Although we have nothing scheduled this fall for our members, we are actively looking
into offering something quite different and unique in the spring of 2024. Emily Li, a solo
handbell ringer and well renowned handbell clinician from Hong Kong, now Ontario, has
been engaged to do a Friday evening, April 12 th and a Saturday, April 13 th workshop tied
in with our annual Spring Ring celebration. MARK THESE DATES ON YOUR
CALENDAR, PLEASE!!!!!
Emily Li is a handbell soloist, composer and conductor. She obtained her Bachelor and Master
Degrees in music from Hong Kong Baptist University and Chinese University of Hong Kong,
majoring in composition. Ms. Li was a lecturer and the handbell director at the Music Department of
HK Baptist University from 1997-2004. She is the founder and Artistic Director of Hong Kong
Handbell Academy and the Hong Kong Youth Handbell Ensemble; Founder and Music Director of
Gloves Handbell, Chairperson of Handbell Association of Hong Kong and Principal Guest Conductor
for Ministry of Bellz in Singapore. Her ensembles have performed around the world with high
acclaim.
Ms. Li started ringing handbells in 1986 and has since developed an obsession with the instrument.
She completed the Graduate Program in Handbells at Concordia University, Wisconsin with many
handbell experts, and has attended numerous National Director Seminars in the United States
teaching classes, performing as a soloist and serving as the conductor of the All Stars Choir and
Distinctly Teens. She was invited by Handbell Ringers of Great Britain to conduct the National
Residential Ringing Week in Sheffield, England in 2015, and served as the massed ringing
conductor and workshop clinician at the International Handbell Symposiums in Liverpool (2012), Jeju
(2014), Vancouver (2016) and Nashville (2022). She served as the International Conductor for the
Youth Festival at the 18th International Handbell Symposium in Cairns, Australia (2018).
Her topic, on Friday evening, April 12 th will be Bell Tree Forests. In recent months, bell
tree forests have received some interest. What are “Bell Tree Forests” you might ask?
Click on this link to take a peek.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CWEyDqkYV4
All right you may ask, “But I don’t have a bell tree”. As far as I know only Patsy
Andrews-Vert and I have professional bell trees. But Patsy has also learned to make
less expensive bell trees and there are several bell tree stands (in the form of IV Poles)
available from Amazon for $50-$100.
So . . . we are suggesting that perhaps sometime in February we may offer a workshop
where you can make a bell tree for your group. This will depend on what interest our
Manitoba Guild members indicate. Do let us know if you are interested in such a
workshop.
As far as Spring Ring is concerned, it too may change from what we have done in the
past. Currently we are thinking of some massed ringing pieces directed by Emily Li as
well as a bell tree forest demonstration. If time allows, during the concert, we may have
individual choirs or groups perform one of their own selections.
We will need a venue for Spring Ring to happen, so if you know of a good one, or your
venue is available, please let us know.
MBGEHR Ringers Round Table
MBGEHR E-Blasts
MBGEHR Winnipeg Music Festival, Outstanding Handbell Performance Plaque