National Catholic Children's Choir Festival
Indianapolis, Indiana
July 7 - 9, 2007

Application Form and Information

The National Association of Pastoral Musicians (NPM) invites members of your children's choir to take part in the National Catholic Children's Choir Festival, beginning on Saturday, July 7, at 2:00 pm and concluding with a Festival Performance on Monday, July 9at 7:30 pm. The Festival will be part of the NPM National Convention, That All May Be One [jn 17:21], to be held in Indianapolis from July 9 to 13.

Our festival clinician and conductor is Dr. Michael Bedford. Michael has been a full-time church musician since 1973, and currently serves as organist and choirmaster of St. John's Episcopal Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he plays the organ and supervises a full graded choir program including three singing choirs, one handbell choir and a chamber ensemble. He has held similar positions in Texas and Colorado . Dr. Bedford has published choral music for children's, youth and adult choirs, as well as organ collections and handbell pieces and has over 100 titles in print. He also serves as workshop leader and clinician for children's and youth festivals, handbell choir festivals and organ workshops throughout the United States.

In order to facilitate acceptances for choirs as quickly as possible, we will be accepting choirs on a first-come, first-served basis. Completed applications should be postmarked by May 15, 2007. Please submit applications as quickly as possible. Please note that choirs who have participated in previous NPM Festivals do not have to submit tapes for this Festival. You may download the application form and list of required pieces with information about obtaining discounted packets of the music.

The Festival rehearsals and clinic location have been arranged, along with excellent housing offers, at the University of Indianapolis, 1400 East Hanna Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana 46227, with a cost-per-child (or adult) at $215.00 for three nights and eight meals. A four-night package can also be made available at $240.00. A commuter package (including three meals) for local choirs will also be available at $135.00 per person. Full information about all of these details will be included for you in your acceptance packet.

Acceptance packets will be sent out by May 30, 2007. They will contain full housing information and Festival location information. All choirs will be expected to arrive at the designated Festival registration by Noon on Saturday, July 7. NPM expects that an adequate number of chaperones for each choir will be present at all times during the entire Festival. The Code of Conduct for Youth Participating in NPM Conventions is included and must be filled out and signed for each youth participant. The Children's Festival Choir Concert will be at 7:30 pm on Monday, July 7, at the Radisson Hotel Ballroom, near the Indianapolis Convention Center.

Singers in accepted choirs may range in age from those entering fourth grade (Fall, 2007) up to those who have completed the eighth grade of school, with no changing voices, please. All participating choirs will be invited to perform a work of their choice for the other choirs during the Festival schedule. The sharing is optional, but we encourage all choirs to perform.

ll choirs receive Convention Festival badges, which will serve as admission to the Convention and Exhibits on the opening day of the Convention, July 9. A full convention brochure will be included in your acceptance packet.

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