With decades of experience as an educator and handbell ensemble conductor, Bob Avant shares a wealth of tips, insights, guidance, instructional strategies, and leadership strategies in Advancing Toward Excellence in Handbell Ensembles. Throughout his handbell career, Bob has applied his talent for teaching and developing groups that he has led including multiple church-based ensembles, the Baylor Bronze Handbell Ensemble at Baylor Unitversity and the nationally recognized community group, The Austin Handbell Ensemble for a combined total of over 70 years. Along the way, he has sought to refine methodologies to develop technical and musical excellence in ringing. This book is an effort to collect all that experience in one place.