National Catholic Handbell Festival

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	Convention Overview Program Changes Festivals Pre-convention Events Monday, July 9 Tuesday, July 10 Wednesday, July 11 Thursday, July 12 Friday, July 13 Presenter Photos Hotel Information Registration Information Early Registration Discount

National Catholic Handbell Choir
July 7 - 9, 2007
Indianapolis, Indiana

Registration Form and Required Music

Members of your handbell choir are invited to participate in the National Catholic Handbell Festival, beginning on Saturday, July 7, at 1:00 pm and concluding with a Festival Performance on Monday, July 9, 9:00-10:00 pm. The Handbell Festival will be part of the NPM National Convention, That All May Be One [jn 17:21], to be held in Indianapolis, Indiana from July 9 to 13.

Our festival clinician and conductor is Michael Helman. Michael is Director of Music/Organist at Faith Presbyterian Church in Cape Coral, Florida where he directs the adult vocal and handbell choirs and coordinates the church's Concert Series. An active composer of handbell, organ, and choral music with well over a hundred pieces in print, Michael has also won nine composition contests including the 1997, 1998, and 2000 AGEHR National Composition Contests. In demand as a handbell festival director and clinician all over the country, Michael is a past Dean of the Delaware Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and has served on the Board of Area III of the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers. In the fall of 2000, he founded the Wilmington Handbell Ensemble, which is the first auditioned community handbell choir in Delaware.

In order to facilitate acceptances for choirs and participants 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. You may download the application form and list of required pieces, which also provides information about obtaining discounted packets of this music.

The Festival rehearsals and clinic location will be the Indiana Convention Center . Housing and meals are to be arranged by the participants. Please go to the convention registration form for housing information. The cost-per-choir will be $25.00 plus a per-ringer charge of $100.00. This fee is an increase over past years, but is in line with other handbell festivals across the country. Housing and food costs are over and above this registration fee. 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 Festival location information as well as a tentative schedule. All choirs will be expected to arrive at the Convention Center by 1:00 pm on Saturday, July 7. If any ringers are under 18 years of age, NPM expects that The Code of Conduct for Youth Participating in NPM Conventions will be followed. The Handbell Festival Choir Concert will be at 9:00 pm on Monday, July 9, at the Indiana Convention Center.

For our performance on Monday evening, choirs/ringers are asked to wear a white top and black pants or skirt. All 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. We encourage as many as can to attend the full conference - there will be many handbell sessions offered.