Event Venue
Sharonville Convention Center
11355 Chester Road
Cincinnati, OH 45246
Event Registration
Standard: $440 (as of January 1, 2026)
Ohio and Kentucky residents will automatically receive a discount on the standard rate when registering with a zip code from either state. To pay in installments, call 937-438-0085 ext. 809. Payment in full is due before classes can be chosen. Class choices for standard and daily registration begin in late February. CANCELLATION POLICY: Through May 31, 2026, the total fee, minus a $100 administrative charge, will be refunded. From June 1, 2026, onward, no refund will be provided.
Daily: $100 per day. CANCELLATION POLICY: Through May 31, 2026, the total fee, minus a $100 administrative charge, will be refunded. From June 1, 2026, onward, no refund will be provided.
Early Bird: Go Goetta* Deal! $395 – CLOSED
Available through December 31, 2025. To pay in installments, call 937-438-0085 ext. 809. Payment must be made in full by December 31, 2025. Registrants at the “Go Goetta Deal” Rate will have the opportunity to choose classes first. Class choices for early bird registration begins in early February. CANCELLATION POLICY: Through May 31, 2026, the total fee, minus a $100 administrative charge, will be refunded. From June 1, 2026, onward, no refund will be provided.
Handbell Commons
Exhibiting Partner Booths: $325 first booth (members), $475 (non-members); $300 each additional booth.
Booth size: 10’ x 10’ (includes one 8’ skirted table, two chairs, wastebasket, booth ID sign, wireless internet, electrical power, and event badges for up to two booth staff). Two tickets for the banquet luncheon on Saturday, July 18 are included with each booth. Additional tickets are available for purchase.
Exhibiting Partner Showcase: $50 (members only)
After registering, you’ll receive a form to provide showcase details. Please complete it promptly to ensure your session is promoted to attendees during class selection.
Handbell Commons Schedule:
Load‑In: Monday, July 13: 1:00 PM-5:00 PM and/or Tuesday, July 14: 8:00 AM-12:00 PM.
Handbell Commons Hours: Tuesday, July 14, 1:00 PM-6:00 PM; Wednesday-Friday, July 15-17, 8:00 AM-1:00 PM, then 2:30 PM-6:00 PM;
Saturday, July 18, 8:00 AM -12:00 PM.
Load‑Out: Saturday, July 18: 1:30 PM – 6:00 PM
CANCELLATION POLICY: Exhibitors have the right to cancel their booth upon written notice to Handbell Musicians of America (HMA). There will be a 10% service charge for any booth cancellation. After April 1, 2026, 50% of the booth fee will be refunded. No refunds will be made on cancellations after June 1, 2026. All money forfeited by cancellation is not refundable or transferable in any way. Exhibiting Partners must be in charge of their display during display hours. All exhibitors must close their exhibits promptly at closing time and vacate Handbell Commons thirty minutes following. If additional time is required, this must be requested in advance with the Exhibitor Coordinator. Booths are not to be dismantled or packed up prior to 1:30 PM on Saturday, July 18, 2026.
Hotels
Delta Hotels by Marriott Cincinnati Sharonville
$149/night; to obtain this rate, rooms must be reserved by June 23, 2026. Use this link to make a Delta Hotels reservation.
11320 Chester Road, Cincinnati, OH 45246
Hyatt Place Sharonville Convention Center
$159/night (single/double rate); To obtain this rate, rooms must be reserved by June 23, 2026. Use this link to make a Hyatt Place reservation.
11345 Chester Road, Cincinnati, OH 45246
National Seminar 2026 Class Sessions
Download the class session descriptions here.
| Basics for Handbell Directors | Bells, Ringers, Rehearsal Room: What Now? | Linda Lamb |
| Basics for Handbell Directors | Developing Young Choirs – Ringing for Today and Building for the Future | Mark Arnold |
| Basics for Handbell Directors | Fear Not! Good News of Great Joy for Inexperienced Directors | Jackie Stephenson |
| Basics for Handbell Directors | Gamify the Basics – from Newbie to Confident in Record Time | Taryn Davis |
| Basics for Handbell Directors | Organizing Your Ringing Year | Kathleen Wissinger |
| Basics for Handbell Directors | Ready, Set, Ring! A Practical Guide for New Handbell Directors | Marie Loeffler |
| Basics for Handbell Directors | Take it Up a Notch | Jennifer Stack |
| Communications | From Good to Great: Stage Presence for Everyone | Hillary Marotta |
| Communications | Tuning Up Your Message: Strengthening Communication Within Your Group and With Your Audience | Marie Loeffler |
| Composing/Arranging/Publishing | The Art of Arranging Pop Music for Handbells | Nick Hanson |
| Composing/Arranging/Publishing | The Art of Engraving (and the Chore of Proofing) | Michael J. Glasgow |
| Composing/Arranging/Publishing | Conquering Copyrights | Nick Hanson |
| Composing/Arranging/Publishing | Ringing with the Congregation – Arranging Hymns for Handbells | Christopher Boileson |
| Conducting | Basic Principles of Conducting | Stephanie Rhoades |
| Conducting | Behind the Baton | Debbie Rice |
| Conducting | Beyond the Gesture: Conducting Past Basic Patterns | Billy Brandt |
| Conducting | Conducting Creativity: Introduction to Conducting Gesture | Billy Brandt |
| Conducting | How Do I Conduct That? | Joel Plaag |
| Culture | Boomer Bells – Keeping the Passion and Challenge | Sandra Eithun |
| Culture | Handbell are for Everyone – Music Reading is Not Required! | Diana Montgomery |
| Culture | Noticed, Known, and Needed: Creating a Culture of Belonging in Your Ensemble | Suzanne Neafus |
| Marketing | Handbells and Pop Culture | Mitchell Eithun |
| Music Theory | A Music Theory Primer | Kathleen Wissinger |
| Music Theory | A Pedagogical Approach to Understanding Rhythm in the Handbell Ensemble | Corbin Rasmussen |
| Music Theory | BINGO – Theory is Fun! | Joy Toll-Chandler |
| Music Theory | Exploring Symbolism through Music Theory | Madeline Carey |
| Music Theory | Meters Matter | Michael J. Glasgow |
| Music Therapy | Experiencing a Music Therapy Session with Handbell and Handchimes | Bruna Marinho de Almeida |
| Programming | 8 Bells and a Bell Tree | Karen Van Wert |
| Programming | Bell Tree and Ensemble Music | Karen Van Wert |
| Programming | Demystifying the Art of Programming | Billy Brandt |
| Programming | Discovering the Creative Musician Within | Joel Plaag |
| Rehearsal Management | Organizational Strategies: Ideas & Roundtable | Anne Kelley |
| Rehearsal Management | The Handbell Rehearsal: Inside the Process and Best Practices | Billy Brandt |
| Rehearsal Management | Too Many Bells, Too Few Hands | Brian Seemann |
| Ringing Track | Advanced Ringing Track (A) | Celia Chan Valerio |
| Ringing Track | Advanced Ringing Track (B) | Stephanie Rhoades |
| Ringing Track | All-Star Choir | Brenda Austin |
| Ringing Track | Beginning Ringing Track | Kimberlee Strepka |
| Ringing Track | Intermediate Ringing Track | Joe Galyon |
| Sacred | Enhancing Worship with Handbells | Karen Van Wert |
| Sacred | Handbells – Music or Ministry? | Mark Arnold |
| Sacred | Worship Planning 101 | Mitchell Eithun |
| Score Study | New Music, Who Dis? | Brian Seemann |
| Score Study | Score Scanning Success | Anne Kelley |
| Score Study | Well, Look at That! Score Study for Ringers | Kerry Johnston |
| Sight Reading | Improving Sight Reading and Score Study Skills | Christopher Titko |
| Solo/Small Ensemble | Bell Trees – Introduction to the First Branch | Laura Blauch |
| Solo/Small Ensemble | Bell Trees – Beyond the First Branch | Laura Blauch |
| Solo/Small Ensemble | Ensembles Beyond the Numbers | Mark Arnold |
| Technique | Advanced Weaving | Nikki Evans |
| Technique | All About That Bass – Digging Deeper | Leslie Lewis |
| Technique | Basic Percussion Methods | Jack Burdwood |
| Technique | Bass-ics and Beyond! | Mark Arnold |
| Technique | From Clunky to Clear: The Art of Beautiful Chimes | Kathryn Jurado & William J. Murphy |
| Technique | Handbell Science | Karen Van Wert |
| Technique | Mallets in Motion | Jack Burdwood |
| Technique | Mastering Handbell Tone and Style Through Laban’s 8 Efforts | Phoebe Yeung |
| Technique | Ring with Confidence: From Notation to Motion | Marie Loeffler |
| Technique | Six-in-Hand Methods | Nikki Evans |
| Technique | Techniques: A-Z | Kathleen Wissinger |
| Technique | When the Bell You Need is Not in Your Hand – Creative Solutions from C(3) to Shining C(8) | Erin Gerecke |
| Technology | Crash Course in Recording and Videoing Handbells | Matt Gender |
| Technology | Dorico Music Notation Program for Handbell Composers | Paul Kinney |
| Technology | Marking Your Digital Music: ForScore for Handbells | Susie Amos |
*What’s goetta?