Coppers Classic

Wow! Can you believe that yesterday, we crossed the two months to Coppers Classic Concert mark?!! Nearly the entire ringing floor is full. We have a large number of alums and lots of new ringers attending this year. I can hardly wait to be working with long time friends and getting to know new folks.

As of today, there are only five open ringing positions. Once these are filled, we will start a waiting list. Thinking about attending? Now is a good time to leap to your feet, type in this url (coppersclassic.com/register) to register and  join this excellent ensemble. I promise you will work up a good musical sweat on music that will challenge you and dance your way through other selections. And the low basses under Heavy Metal Manager, Carol Flint always succeed in surprising me with mischief at some point in the concert. I can’t remember if it was Ben or Jerry (think “ice cream”) who said it, “if it ain’t fun, why do it”–we’ll have fun. Honest!

RINGING ASSIGNMENTS  should go out within three (3) days. Another good reason to register now!

Resister today! Ring with us in March!!

Happy New Year and Hello, Coppers Classic 2025!!

EARLY BIRD registration closes January 15 (https://coppersclassic.com/register/)
Register early and
1) save some money, and,
2) be at the head of the line for preferred ringing assignments.
3) First Round Assignments will arrive in your inbox on or before January 25th.

Coppers Classic is a massed ringing event for advanced Coppers level handbell musicians held annually in Portland Metro Area in Oregon Ring with great musicians  who’ve come from all over the United States and Canada. Three full days of stretching your limits will culminate in a public concert on Sunday, March 30, 2025, at 4 pm.

If you love handbells, if you have a passion to learn, create the most musical experience of each composition, and celebrate your music making with others who share your joy, then Coppers Classic is for you!

COPPERS CLASSIC  Has a Healthy Scholarship Fund! (https://coppersclassic.com/scholarships/)
1) We award at least one adult and one full-time student scholarship for an Area 10 musician.
2) Additional full and partial scholarships may also be awarded to musicians from outside Area 10 and including BCGEHR and ALGEHR as funds allow.
3) Ellie will pledge $10 to the scholarship fund for every new registrant who signs up by January 8 (the scholarship application deadline). Let’s fatten the scholarship fund!!

Got Questions? Contact us at  coppersclassic@gmail.com
Ellie Hodder, Clinician/Founder
Vanessa Blake, Event Coordinator
Sharon Ross, Registrar

After more than a little teamwork figuring out buttons, my amazing team has finished and published the 2025 Coppers Classic event site! Kudos to Sharon, Kim and Vanessa for hours of work to make this real!

Early Bird Registration has some benefits!
• Register by January 15 and save $50 on registration.
•  And, were that not enough, you will be in the first round considerations  for ringing assignments–projected to show up in your inbox before the end of January!

What’s new?
• Check out the new requirement for Guild membership. We hope this will make registering a bit easier on your pocketbook while continuing to support the essential work of HMA.
• A fun and eclectic repertoire representing music from Japan, Hong Kong, England and Canada as well as, the United States. AND, a wonderful and challenging piece for BELLTREE and full choir!
• BRAND NEW: Four pairs of ringers will have the opportunity to switch positions on some of the pieces! Want a new experience. Check it out on the registration page.

I can’t wait to make music with you. Bring a friend. It’s always a special treat to welcome new folks to the Coppers Classic family.

See you in March. Ellie

 

Have I ever told you how grateful I am to my Team who keep the wheels turning for Coppers Classic?! They are terrific!! We’ve spent a couple days working to tame the “buttons” so you can have an easy time reading more and registering!

We are persistent! And determined! We had hoped to open today but the stars have yet to align. So,
• If you are an optimist (that would be me), check back tomorrow after dinner.
• If you are mildly skeptical, check back after lunch on Thursday.
• If you . . . Well, we, even at our least optimistic believe that we will be
fully live by Friday!

Meanwhile, check out the Repertoire page! It’s a diverse and wonderful set with fun and challenges for one nd all1!

See you this week!!

We are excited to welcome everyone to
Coppers Classic 2025!
Take some time to look at the Information on the site. Registration coming soon!

March 28-30, 2025

Can you believe Coppers Classic will celebrate its tenth year in 2025? What a great accomplishment!

We are pleased to  return to the Monarch Hotel and Conference Center in Clackamas, Oregon (Portland Metro).

Yes, we have more than one scholarship! Yes, guild members who live outside Area 10 are welcome to apply.

Registration will open October 15. See you right here!!

See you in March!

Most handbell musicians have met Julie Turner through her arrangements and original compositions. I first encountered her original work with Everlasting to Everlasting. It is still one of my favorite compositions. (Worth a listen if you are unfamiliar with it!)

At Coppers Classic 2023 we rang two of her works, Toccata Allegro, an original work and Julie’s excellent transcription of Toto’s Africa. Both pieces offered lots of “meat” to learn many ways to express the music. How do you shape a phrase in a huge choir? How can you ring a “mart” that fits the intent of the music! We got to practice “there’re lots of ways to ring a bell in order to make great music!” Always fun!

This year we are ringing Julie’s transcription of Here Comes the Sun, one of the of the Beatles best known works. It was written in 1969 by George Harrison. It sounds easy when you listen to the Beatles sing it but rumor has it that the Beatles had to practice quite a bit to get it right!  Syncopation! Meter changes! Accidentals! . . . I’m sure that knowing that the Beatles had to work to make this song come together will give comfort to all of us as we work to perfect our performance of the piece.

I’m betting that many of you have played one or more of Jason Krug’s compositions. He is known for creating interesting and engaging pieces for all levels of handbell skill.

During the pandemic, Jason kept handbell musicians engaged with weekly online composition classes. Yes, right before your eyes and ears he would create at least the framework of a brand new piece while explaining the what’s and why’s of his choices.

In addition to his handbell compositions, Jason has published works for piano, organ, choir, and string orchestra. He has penned several pieces of fiction for young adults–check out the Sadinian Chronicles–and a non fiction work, The General Theory of Creativity (an enticing read).

Were that not enough, Jason is an expert at Rubik’s Cube! Ah, the things we learn about one another.

 (an enticing read!)

If you ever have the opportunity to spend time with Damien Lim, I guarantee two things. 1) You will go home with a smile still on your face and in your heart and, 2) you will be inspired by his passion for handbells and arrangements of music that “sings” in our art form. His mission? “To Educate, To Share, To Inspire, To Create, To Include”

Damien is conductor, arranger and teacher. Based in Singapore where Damien founded MOB, aka Ministry of Bells, he is known as a first rate percussionist and as a handbell musician.  He has inspired many young musicians at home, in Thailand, in his travels to Japan, Korea and Australia and around the glove.

Come ring his setting of Despacito at Coppers Classic this April. It will be a great experience.

Whew! What a month it has been. But we’re finally open for business. Coppers Classic 2024 registration is now open! First things first though…get your scholarship application in if you haven’t already. If it’s your first time attending, head on over to the scholarship page to see if you’re eligible. We’d love to see you in Portland. And the music is going to be A-MAZ-ING! Check out the repertoire page. What can we say…Coppers Classic 2024, here we come!