Bryn and Leland Reimer developed Ringing Room, which kept us all going through the pandemic. Also Bryn is the author of Calling it Round, a tutorial on conducting.

Where are you based?

Northampton, MA, USA

When and where did you learn to ring handbells?

Leland: 2012 in San Francisco initially, but then in Boston from the MIT ringers.

Bryn: 2017 in Boston from the MIT ringers.

Who has influenced your handbell ringing?

Cally Perry & Elaine Hansen, who spent lots of time teaching us both the fundamentals; Ed Futcher, who mentored us in calling & conducting; Austin Paul & Myles Dakan as peers to learn with; and each other!

Blue lines, place notation or structure?

Blue lines when learning, structure when proficient.

Trebles or tenors?

Trebles.

Quarters or peals?

Both.

What is the most unusual place in which you have rung handbells?

Leland: On the roof of the Manchester Cathedral tower (https://bb.ringingworld.co.uk/view.php?id=1298806)

Bryn: At a local park.

What is your favourite handbell-ringing anecdote?

While I (Bryn) was ringing with a new caller, a passerby stopped to listen briefly. I informed him we would be done in a second, but he said that was alright and started walking way. A split second later it was time for a call, so I raised my eyebrows at the new caller, who tentatively said "Bob???" The passerby called back from down the hallway: "No, it's David actually!" Miraculously, the touch came round.

Any further comments about handbell ringing in general? 

While we both greatly enjoy handbell ringing for its own sake, we also use it as a teaching tool for tower ringing — it can help give a new learner a sense of what ringing will be like after they can handle, which helps with retention. We've had great success teaching learners of all ages using this process.

Next time: Jeff (and Catherine) Ladd