Bay View Week Of Handbells

10/08/2026

As the leaves change color in the trees, and spooky season is here, it's the ideal time of year to make some hot chocolate, curl up in a comfy chair, and watch the 2026 Bay View Week of Handbells concert on DVD! 😁 If you didn't order one of these recordings, and you wish you had, send us a message and we'll put you in touch with Pierpont Video Productions! 😊🍁🎶

10/06/2026

It's a fun time of year, as we start to look forward to the 2027 Bay View Week of Handbells. Fred is in the early stages of selecting the music for the event, and the excitement is building!

What we know, so far, is that the repertoire will include:

🤩 Two amazing commissioned works: "Provocation" by Michael Glasgow, and "EarthRise" by Brian Seemann;

😍 An unpublished Don Allured manuscript from 1991, entitled "In His Mighty Arms";

🥳 A brand-new work by Caleb Onstead, entitled "With Wisdom and Courage, Serenity";

😎 and Greg Urban's arrangement of "Test Drive" from How to Train Your Dragon. Here's a preview of "Test Drive", shared by participants at the New England Ringers' Oktobellfest event! 😊🎶

10/06/2026

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT! 🥳

It's that time of year again, and the website has been updated with information about the 2027 Bay View Week of Handbells. If you'd like to participate in this one-of-a-kind handbell event next August, now's a great time to apply! (Website link in comments).

Registration is OPEN for:

🌿 First time participants:
Ten bronze-level ringers new to this event will be selected from the applications received. Please read all the information on the website carefully, and apply by December 15, 2026.

🌻 Young Adult Scholarships
Thanks to the Carl Wiltse Scholarship Fund, financial assistance in the amount of $750 is offered to one or two bronze-level ringers between the ages of 18 and 30. Please apply by December 1, 2026.

🌹 Registration for Alumni:
If you've previously participated in the Week of Handbells, and you'd like to apply again, please submit your Alumni Lottery Application by December 31st.

If you have questions, please ask! Mark your calendars for August 9-13, 2027, and we hope to welcome you to the 2027 Bay View Week of Handbells! 😊🎶

(Photo: Kim Finison)

08/22/2026

The 2026 Bay View Week of Handbells pre-concert photo, with all the participants, and director Fred Gramann. Thanks to our official photographer Kim Finison, who does very well at capturing a photo where no one's blinking! 😊🎶

08/21/2026

What an amazing week we all had! We want to say a HUGE thank you to the event's director, Maestro Fred Gramann. Fred has been directing the Bay View Week of Handbells since 2018, and he brings so much talent and skill to the event.

Fred works tirelessly in the months before the Week of Handbells. His attention to detail helps every ringer to know exactly what's expected of them, and ensures that even with more than 100 handbell musicians in the room, we'll all play as one ensemble by the time concert day arrives. Fred helps us all to grow as musicians, focusing not just on the notes, but on the feelings behind the notes. That's how we turn a printed score into music that will touch the hearts of our audience.

Thank you, Fred, for everything you bring to the Bay View Week of Handbells. We love and appreciate you! ❤️🎶

(Photos: Kim Finison)

08/16/2026

Wow! What an amazing week we had! 🥳 Four days of rehearsals, and a concert filled with beautiful and exciting handbell music. We had happy reunions, new ringers to welcome, early mornings, late nights, chats on the porch, breathtaking sunsets, teamwork, and so much energy, as we worked together to prepare a handbell concert like no other.

We'll have lots more photos and videos to share with you soon. We have people to thank, and lots to talk about. In the meantime, mark your calendar for next year's Bay View Week of Handbells! The event will start on Monday, August 9th 2027, with the concert on Thursday, August 12th. You won't want to miss it! 😊🎶

(Photos: Kim Finison)

08/13/2026

With the whole group this time, here's a snippet of Kurt Meyer Music's "Prestidigitation". Thanks to Kim for sharing the video with us. Tonight's concert is going to be exciting! Will YOU be there? 😎🎶

08/13/2026

Yesterday included a rehearsal for just the "pit ringers", all playing bass handbells and handchimes. Isn't it fun to see those aluminum bass bells moving? This is an excerpt from Caleb Onstead's "Equinox", with Fred providing the melody in the absence of the entire treble section. Come to tonight's concert to hear the whole piece played by 108 musicians! 🤩🎶

08/12/2026

Today's been another busy day at Bay View! We have 108 handbell musicians here, preparing for Thursday night's concert, and it takes a lot of work! Today we held separate rehearsals – sectionals – for the bass and treble ringers. Here's a snippet from the bass sectional, where ringers are working on CJ Caminiti's powerful arrangement of "Jesus, Lover of My Soul", under the baton of director Fred Gramann. 😊🎶

08/12/2026

WATCH THE HANDBELL CONCERT ONLINE! 🤩 We encourage you to join us here in Bay View on Thursday, August 13th at 7:30pm for the annual Week of Handbells Concert. Experience the sound of 108 handbell musicians, playing music that will touch your heart AND make you want to dance!

If you can't make it to the event in person, you can watch online on the Bay View Association's YouTube channel. It's going to be a great concert! 😊🎶

The Bay View Association of The United Methodist Church, a Chautauqua on Lake Michigan, is a National Historic Landmark community founded in 1875. The videos here represent a small glimpse into the various programs and life in Bay View. Enjoy!