Celebrating the Arts - Dwight-Englewood School

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8 A Beloved Tradition A tradition that began at the Dwight School in the 1950s has become a favorite of each new generation of students. Dwight-Englewood School HANDBELLENSEMBLES A D-E tradition, handbell ensembles are a popular activity for Middle and Upper School students. With two sets of handbells, three Middle School handbell classes per semester, and three year-long Upper School bell classes, it’s clear that handbells are one of the most popular musical activities at Dwight- Englewood. First introduced into the music curriculum at the Dwight School in the 1950s, handbells have become one of D-E’s more beloved and enduring traditions. Says Matt Schukis, choir director, “Kids love the fact that they are playing a set of bells that has history.” Meanwhile, visiting alumni often feel nostalgic. Says Schukis, “They’ll remember what bell they played. They’ll come back and say, ‘Can I see my bell?’” What’s great about handbells? Everything, says Schukis. For starters, they make beautiful music—in many styles and genres—without requiring ensemble members to have years of experience or deep technical knowledge. “I can take an 8th grade student and have him ring a bell, and I can bring in a professional handbell player to ring the bell, and it sounds the same,” notes Schukis. Which is not to say that handbells are not a rewarding challenge. Handbell players know that every single note counts, and they strive for perfection. As Schukis points out, “Unlike any other music ensemble, you’re it. Nobody else is playing your part. If you’re in the orchestra and you play clarinet, there are others who are playing the same part.” As the students quickly learn, precise timing and teamwork are very important and require a great deal of practice. Plus,
One of the School’s six handbell ensembles performed this holiday season at a local community center. for some songs, students standing next to each other might be sharing a bell between them, and they must coordinate their movements closely. “The students know what to do, how to problem solve,” says Schukis. “They have to work it out when there are shared bells.” No one could have predicted that handbell choirs would become such an enduring tradition, but legendary retired music teacher Joe Erwin says that the handbells were a hit from the beginning. Erwin was a new faculty member at the Dwight School in the 1950s when the first set of bells—from the famous Whitechapel foundry in England—were delivered to the School. They had been ordered by music teacher Helen Williams, who was retiring. Erwin, who had some experience with handbells, decided to follow through and get the bells anyway. He arranged a piece of music and taught a group of faculty members to play it. Then, at a chapel gathering of the student body, the bells were unveiled and the faculty showed the girls just what kind of magic could be created with a handbell performance. All the girls wanted to try it, and handbells have been a thrill for Dwight and Dwight- Englewood students ever since. Matt Schukis says that handbell ensembles breed a special kind of camaraderie, and Joe Erwin agrees. He says, “Music is an expression of a deep human nature. It seems like music making, but it’s really friendship making.” He also remembers a number of times when the handbells have created a sense of community. There was the School trip in the 1970s to Romania with the choir and bell choir. There was also a memorable Father-Daughter Dinner—a tradition attended by Dwight’s seniors and their dads. The daughters were delighted and amazed when the dads got up and performed a handbell piece that Erwin taught them. Erwin, who had arranged the piece, had added in a clever and playful discordant ending, which brought the house down. With the growing popularity of the handbells, Dwight-Englewood acquired a second set of bells in the 1980s. These Schulmerich handbells, cast in the United States and used by the Middle School, don’t have the history of the Whitechapel bells, but they have the advantage of being easier to learn on. Schukis explains, “Whitechapel bells are still made the way they were made back in the 1500s. They are basically small exact replicas of tower bells,” he says. They were originally created so ringers could practice without having to be in the tower. The Schulmerich bells, in contrast, are made to be handbells, designed with more modern technology, and can be adjusted for sound and ease of playing. Schukis says it is not uncommon for D-E students to try handbells for the first time in 8th grade and continue to play them through senior year. A staple of winter and spring concerts, the handbell ensembles are always a fan favorite. Schukis points out that while audiences love the distinctive sound of the bells, listening is only part of the enjoyment. Because of the graceful motion of ringing the bells and the precise timing, a handbell concert gives the impression of something that is beautifully choreographed. Says Schukis, “It’s really fun to watch.” Spring 2011 9
Page 1 and 2: TODAY S P R I N G 2 0 1 1 Celebrati
Page 3 and 4: HEAD’SMESSAGE A flourishing arts
Page 5 and 6: 12 | 14 | 16 | 20 | 36 | 24 | 28 |
Page 7 and 8: Bob Bakish ’81 (left) with Presid
Page 9: whose Broadway credits include The
Page 13 and 14: is that a conductor is a sort of jo
Page 15 and 16: Spring 2011 13
Page 17 and 18: D-E student artists gathered for a
Page 19 and 20: Chicago Sun-Times. On the web, Zimm
Page 21 and 22: Erica takes a bow after her perform
Page 23 and 24: Debbie Rivera ’11 at the MLK Hono
Page 25 and 26: monthly Dwight School newspaper cal
Page 27 and 28: Alumni Share Advice about Arts Care
Page 31 and 32: Alexander Koren ’12 The competiti
Page 33 and 34: D-E Students Earn National Scholast
Page 35 and 36: D-E Lower School music faculty memb
Page 37 and 38: Dickinson, Hodges Make Basketball H
Page 39 and 40: Woman” by Aretha Franklin. Guitar
Page 42: HEAD’SSERIES Dwight-Englewood Sch
Page 47 and 48: Elizabeth Quarles Ryden has been li
Page 49 and 50: the year, she and Gib travelled to
Page 51 and 52: E 63 Class Rep: Dr. Charles E. Kord
Page 53 and 54: Dave Yarock wins! D 71 Class Reps:
Page 55 and 56: 81 Class Rep: Kenneth Lenskold Emai
Page 57 and 58: 95 Class Rep: Nirupama Nukalapati 1
Page 59 and 60: INMEMORIAM Dwight-Englewood notes w
Page 61 and 62:
BULLDOGBOOKSHELF If you are a D-E a
Page 63 and 64:
We Want You Back! Join Us For These
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Celebrating the Arts - Dwight-Englewood School

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