Rejection.

Got a boilerplate e-mail from AGEHR's music editor today which said, in regards to "Comrades, Haste!," thanks but no thanks. This is a bit disappointing, as (a) AGEHR is the leading publisher of level-5-and-up handbell music, and (b) AGEHR is the leading publisher of contest-winning handbell pieces. I'm not completely surprised -- the title alone makes it a hard sell in the relatively staid (and religious) world of handbells -- but there aren't a lot of other good options out there, I'm sad to say. (The best remaining option -- and one half-owned by a guy I've met before, which helps -- I am sending "CHFtSP" to later today.)

Also, this statement in the official rules makes me pretty sure I'm not a TCM semi-finalist: "Semi-Finalists must return the Score Submission Materials in the pre-paid overnight mail envelope provided to them by TCM. Each such envelope must be postmarked no later than April 30, 2005." You had better hurry up with that pre-paid envelope, Ted Turner.

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A club for me.

I am probably serious.