Penobscot Bay Ringers

Bringing Handbell Music to MidCoast Maine

Penobscot Bay Ringers is Midcoast Maine’s community handbell choir. Founded in June 2008, Penobscot Bay Ringers is a group of individuals interested in sharing our love of handbells, handchimes, and musical performance. We provide handbell training and education to our ringers and to anyone in the community also interested in these instruments.
Striving to adhere to the principles of the Handbell Musicians of America, we hope to be an instrument of peace, promoting harmony in Midcoast Maine and beyond.

Chime Loan Program

In honor of its 10 Year Anniversary, Penobscot Bay Ringers established the first ChoirChime Loan Program in Mid-Coast Maine. The program is designed to bring the joy of handbell music to children while also teaching scales and chords, reading music, and working together to create joyful sounds and song.

Chime in Boxes.jpg

Out of their own funds and donations earmarked for the Anniversary Chime Loan Program, PBR purchased a three octave set of Markmark, Inc ChoirChimes to lend to area schools for a two year duration. At the end of this period, the Chimes are returned and given to the next recipiant.  

 

PBR hopes to add another set of Malmark ChoirChimes to the program. We hope to expand the Chime Loan Programs to a yearly application process, rather than a bi-annual program. Contributions may be made directly to the Chime Loan Program. 

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2018 WINNING APPLICANT!
School Area District #40

2018 Inaugural Year Winning ApplicantsMegan Rogers - Music Teacher of SAD# 40 and Nancy Stover - Principal of Prescott Memorial accept chimes from PBR's Director, Amy Rollins, and President, Debra J. Hall.AKZ Photography

2018 Inaugural Year Winning Applicants

Megan Rogers - Music Teacher of SAD# 40 and Nancy Stover - Principal of Prescott Memorial accept chimes from PBR's Director, Amy Rollins, and President, Debra J. Hall.

AKZ Photography

Megan recently sent the PRB Board an update:

Hello Pen Bay Ringers Board! 

I have been enjoying the hand chimes immensely. The tone is so beautiful and the children are really taken with them.  I have used them in all three schools so far in most grades.  I am waiting for my littles to practice their steady beat a little bit more before I give them to them, but they have been introduced to the instrument.  

I have been mostly using them to do a chord on a steady beat or using a repeating ostinato pattern, but today I had my third grade in FVS attempt to play the melody line as a group for Frere Jaques.  I have attached the video for you.  I apologize for the sound quality. I'll be experimenting in the future but I thought you would get a kick out of it.  Each child only had one note c,d,e,f,g and I had the A.  Thanks so much! 

Sincerely, 

Megan

Choirchimes 2.jpg

APPLICATION PROCESS:
Next application year 2020

Music Teachers (both public and private) who teach K-8 in any of the following towns/school districts may apply:

  • Appleton

  • Belfast

  • Brooks

  • Camden

  • Cushing

  • Friendship

  • Hope

  • Liberty

  • Lincolnville

  • Monroe

  • Morrill

  • Northport

  • Owl's Head

  • Rockland

  • Rockport

  • Searsmont

  • Swanville

  • South Thomaston

  • Thomaston

  • Thorndike

  • Troy

  • Union

  • Waldoboro

  • Warren

  • Washington

  • More towns may be added. Contact us if you are interested and your town in not listed

2018 Cover Letter - PDF Link to be added

2018 Application - PDF Link to be added

 

Please submit your application via email to: Penobscotbayringers@gmail.com or debrahallgr@gmail.com