2026 Area 5 Spring Festival
March 20-21, 2026 | Muncie, Ind.
Jason Krug, Guest Conductor
Join us in Muncie as we welcome Jason Krug to lead us in a weekend of handbell ringing, fellowship, and fun!
This page will be updated as details about repertoire, lodging, schedule, etc., become available. Stay tuned!
Registration
Registration will be available soon. Prices and deadlines are as follows:
Early-bird registration: Open through Jan. 10, 2026 (11:59pm EST)
$105 for HMA members
$120 for nonmembers
Regular registration: Open from Jan. 11 – Feb. 7, 2026 (11:59pm EST)
$120 for HMA members
$135 for nonmembers
Jason Krug, conductor
Jason W. Krug (b. 1978) is a native of Indianapolis, Ind. He holds a degree in music from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Jason is a full-time freelance composer, arranger, clinician, and teacher. Since his first publication in 2006, he’s had over 700 compositions and arrangements accepted for handbells, piano, strings, organ, and choir. His works have been featured at numerous festivals and workshops in the United States and beyond. He is also the owner of and editor for Grassy Meadow Music.
In his spare time, Jason enjoys writing. He has spent several years working on a young adult fantasy series, The Sadonian Chronicles, and has released a non-fiction book, “The General Theory of Creativity.” He also enjoys solving the Rubik’s Cube and similar puzzles, and has participated in several competitions sponsored by the World Cube Association.
Jason continues to live in Indianapolis with his wife, Ellen; his sons, Daniel and Malcolm; and his feline creative consultants, Figaro and Nocturne. You can find him on the web at jasonwkrug.com and grassymeadowmusic.com.
Festival information
Festival Location
Horizon Convention Center
401 S. High St.
Muncie, IN 47305
Festival Repertoire
Music may be purchased directly from the publishers of any music retailer. Our retailers include: Heitz Handbells & Music, Jeffers Handbell Supply, and J.W. Pepper. All attendees should have legally purchased copies of all music on hand at the event. Photocopies are not allowed without proof of license or proof of purchase.
Massed
| Title (Level) | Composer/Arranger | Publisher & code |
| Fantasia on “Azmon” (L3-) | Jason W. Krug | Grassy Meadow GMH230048 (2-3 oct.), GMH350070 (3-6 oct.) |
| Appassionata (L3) | Michael W. Joy | Beckenhorst BEHB490 |
| Somebody’s Knockin’ at Your Door (L2+) | Brenda E. Austin | Hope Publishing MHP3071 |
Tins
| Title (Level) | Composer/Arranger | Publisher & code |
| Journey of Hope (L2) | Brenda E. Austin | Hope Publishing HP3014 |
| Holy Manna (L2) | Nicholas Hanson | Ringing Word RW8245 |
Coppers
| Title (Level) | Composer/Arranger | Publisher & code |
| Echoes From a Weary World (L3) | Jason W. Krug | Beckenhorst BEHB850 |
| Pirates of the Caribbean (L3) | Klaus Badelt; arr. Kevin McChesney | Jeffers MJHS9402 |
Challenge piece (Optional)
| Title (Level) | Composer/Arranger | Publisher & code |
| De Profundis (L4) | Jason W. Krug | Beckenhorst MBEHB523 |
Vendors & Advertising
The Area 5 Board would like to extend an invitation to anyone wishing to share their products or services with handbell musicians or educators to be a part of our 2026 spring festival in Muncie!
Please check back soon for more information about applying to be vendor and submitting an ad for the program book.
Scholarships
Area 5 offers scholarships to attendees of Area 5 or HMA events. Scholarships cover the cost of registration at the early-bird rate.
The application period is Oct. 1 to Nov. 15, 2025. Click here for more information.
Photography Policy
The Area 5 Photography Policy can be found here.
HMA Tablet Policy
Handbell Musicians of America is committed to upholding the copyright laws of the United States and protecting the rights of our publishers, arrangers and composers. If you wish to use a tablet computer to hold your music in place of standard paper copies on a music stand, you must contact the publisher of each piece of music to first obtain permission to convert a purchased piece of music to the format required for the tablet you are using. Copies of the written permission received from publishers must be presented on request from the event organizer, event chair, or Handbell Musicians of America staff. Permission from a publisher for one piece does not imply permission for other songs from the same publisher. The title of each song used in this format must be included in the written permission received. Attendee should also have legally purchased copies of all music with them for verification. Titles originally purchased in a digital format do not require permission from the publisher, however, please have a copy of your purchase receipt available.
Questions?
Please visit our Spring Festival FAQ for more information!
This page will be updated with more details about lodging, schedule, etc., when available.
For any further questions, please contact Shannon Hardiek.
Questions?
New to handbell festivals? Confused about registration or logistics? Our FAQ can help!
