Area 2 Festival Conference 2027
Three states, one festival – join us in Syracuse!
When
June 25–27, 2027
Where
Marriott Syracuse Downtown
100 E Onondaga St, Syracuse, NY 13202
Registration
Opens January, 2027
Costs and housing details at the Marriott are coming soon.
Meet Your Clinicians
Sandra Eithun – Massed, Copper & Bronze
Sandra Eithun, M.M.Ed., is the Director of Fox Valley Bronze in Appleton, WI, and has more than 650 handbell pieces in publication. She is a recipient of the Donald E. Allured Original Composition Award, and her music has been featured on the PBS special Holiday Handbells and in concerts by noted ensembles including The Raleigh Ringers and The Bells on Temple Square. An active member of Handbell Musicians of America who has served on the Area 7 Board of Directors, Sandy is in demand as a clinician and conductor at festivals and workshops across the country.
Bob Avant – Master Class
Bob Avant has been involved with handbells at every level for over 40 years. He is co-founder and Director of the Austin Handbell Ensemble – now past its 30th season and a three-time invited performer at HMA National Seminar – and recently retired from Baylor University after 16 years directing the Baylor Bronze Handbell Ensemble in the School of Music. The author of Advancing Towards Excellence in Handbell Ensembles, Bob merges his careers in music and technology: he plays a key role in recording and mastering the demo recordings of new handbell music for multiple major publishers and provides the livestream audio capture for National Seminar concerts. He holds three degrees from the University of Texas at Austin, and Master Class ringers will take on his own arrangement of John Rutter’s Toccata in Seven.
Kathy Ebling Shaw – Level 1 Track
Kathleen Ebling Shaw is well known as a handbell clinician, having conducted sessions for International Handbell Symposia in Japan, England, Korea, Australia and the US, and for Handbell Musicians of America at both the local and national levels. She serves as Vice President of Malmark Bells, Inc., and recently retired as Conductor of the Westminster Concert Bell Choir at Westminster Choir College of Rider University, where for 33 years she taught classes in handbell training and conducted the handbell choirs. Under her direction, the Westminster Concert Bell Choir made its Carnegie Hall debut as the first American handbell ensemble to perform there, appeared on NBC’s TODAY Show, NPR, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, and NBC’s nationally televised Lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree with Josh Groban, and toured North America with Julie Andrews and the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. Kathy returns after leading our entry-level track at the 2025 festival.
The entry-level track formerly known as “Tins” returns as the Level 1 Track – a new name for a track that welcomes everyone building their skills.
Repertoire
Massed Ringing (Sandra Eithun, conductor)
- Light Dawns on a Weary World – S. Eithun – Beckenhorst HB877 – Level 3-
- Clarion Call – M. Joy – Choristers Guild RRBL5019 – Level 2+
- Moonrise – B. Childers – Red River Music RRBL5114 – Level 2+
- What the World Needs Now – M. Eithun – Sheet Music Direct – Level 3
Copper
- Carillon – H.D. Wagner – Hope Publishing – Level 3+
- Jingle Bells – S. Eithun – Beckenhorst HB882 – Level 3+
Bronze
- Vivacio – C. Moklebust – Beckenhorst Press – Level 4
- The Winter Began Softly – S. Eithun – Choristers Guild – Level 4
Master Class (Bob Avant, conductor)
- Toccata in Seven – John Rutter, arr. Bob Avant – Level 4+
- Impressions on Aberystwyth – Matt Compton – Level 4
- Home (from The Wiz) – Charlie Smalls, arr. Greg Urban – Level 4/4+
- A Mighty Fortress Is Our God – Joel Raney setting, arr. Arnold Sherman – Level 4-
Level 1 Track
Selections are still being finalized and will be announced soon.
Featured Concert: Rezound!
We’re honored to welcome Rezound! as our featured concert for Festival 2027. More details about the ensemble and the concert are coming soon.
Help Us Ring: Syracuse-Area Bell Loans
A festival this size takes more instruments than any one group owns. If your ensemble is in the Syracuse area and would consider lending bells or chimes for festival weekend, we would love to hear from you.
Check this page often for updates. Information will be added as it becomes available!