Handbell Camp for Middle Schoolers July 6 - 10

Music on the Hill will hold a one week Handbell Camp for students entering grades 6, 7, and 8, beginning on Monday, July 6. Camp days will run from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Music on the Hill rehearsal space, located at the rear of the St. Matthew’s Episcopal and Wilton Presbyterian Church complex (WEPCO), 48 New Canaan Road (Route 106) in Wilton.

“This is a great opportunity to learn a new instrument, get to know other kids who are interested in music and handbells, and a fun way to spend a week of the summer!” says Music on the Hill artistic director Ellen Dickinson, who is the camp’s lead instructor.

Handbell experience is not required; campers should have some experience with reading music.

Campers will work with both handbells and choirchimes. “We will introduce and refine ringing technique and learn pieces on both instruments,” says Dickinson. Students will build skills in pitch, melody, and teamwork through activities with boomwhackers, “which are ridiculous and fun.” They will also work with drums and other percussion instruments to build skills in rhythm, feeling the beat, and ensemble playing.

The camp day will include activities indoors and out, and a snack will be provided. Students are requested to bring a bagged lunch. On Friday, lunch will be provided in conjunction with a presentation for parents and friends beginning at noon.

The cost for the week is $250. Scholarship assistance is available. Request information and a registration form by email to ellen@musiconthehillCT.org, or phone (203) 529-3133.

About the Artistic Director

Ellen Dickinson has conducted choral and handbell ensembles for twenty-five years and has been the founding director of nine ensembles, including the Jubilate Ringers, Music on the Hill’s five-octave handbell choir and the area’s only community-based bell choir.

She is an active carillon recitalist and has earned distinction as a teacher of carillon performance. She is College Carillonneur at Trinity College in Hartford and director of the carillon program at Yale University.

Ms. Dickinson holds a B.A. in music from Yale College and the Master of Music in Organ Performance from the Yale School of Music and Institute of Sacred Music.

About Music on the Hill

Music on the Hill is an independent non-profit organization that encourages high-quality music education and performance for all ages. It offers music workshops, concerts, and performance opportunities through four ensembles -- the Jubilate Ringers handbell choir, the 16-voice Chamber Chorus, the 40-voice Festival Chorus, and the 60-voice Summer Chorus -- all under the dynamic leadership of artistic directors David H. Connell, D.M.A., and Ellen Dickinson, M.M.

Learn about participating in Music on the Hill workshops and ensembles, request at 2015 brochure, and join the mailing list by visiting www.musiconthehillCT.org.