The North Carolina Baptist State Youth Handbell Festival offers outstanding training and playing opportunities for middle- and high-school bell ringers.

Reward your choir’s year of hard work and dedication by selecting a favorite piece from your repertoire to share with other choirs at the festival during “parade time.” Parades are usually held Friday evening and Saturday morning. Seasonal selections, such as Christmas pieces, are welcomed and encouraged. We can be flexible to meet anyone’s schedule with rehearsal times and last minute changes of schedule. This part of the festival offers your choir the opportunity to ring in a low-stress performance environment. For choirs that would like to participate in parades, please list your musical selection and indicate your individual choir rehearsal time preference on your registration form.

Brian Childers

Brian Childers is an accomplished composer, conductor, and clinician. His choral, instrumental, and handbell works are performed throughout the world. He is in demand as a featured clinician at music conferences and workshops across the nation.

Brian received his bachelor of music degree in piano performance from Appalachian State University and his master of divinity degree in church music from the M. Christopher White School of Divinity at Gardner-Webb University. From 2012-2015, he served as Artistic Director of the Queen City Ringers, a Community Handbell Ensemble based in Charlotte, NC. He has served churches throughout the Southeast, building vibrant programs for choirs, handbells and instrumentalists at each. He currently serves as Minister of Music at First Baptist Church of Roswell, GA, where he oversees music ministry to children, youth and adults. 

Brian is married to Keely Childers, a professional counselor, and has two adult children, Hannah and Spencer, both of whom served as drum majors in their respective high school and college marching bands. Brian is an avid runner and a rabid fan of the San Antonio Spurs. Brian’s first book, Ringing Deeply, a devotional book for directors, ringers, and bell fans, has been received with strong reviews. You can learn more about Ringing Deeply and Brian’s compositions at brianchilders.org.