DULUTH — Bill Alexander isn't sure how many visits he's made to the International Handbell Symposium since he organized Strikepoint in 1984. "I think I counted up eight times, but that was also before this last one, so this could have been my ninth," Alexander said. "They're just really great events where we exchange ideas with people from all over the world who share the same love of handbells and music.
It's a pretty life-changing event." Longtime handbell choir Alexander returned to Japan with Strikepoint in August for the 21st International Handbell Symposium in Hamamatsu, Japan. His first international symposium, also in Japan, was back in 1986 with the 11-member choir.
ADVERTISEMENT "It's changed a lot over the years," Alexander said. "The first time it was at this small room in a YMCA camp building. It was so cramped that when it was time for the concert, people gathered around outside and listened through the open windows.
" This year's symposium was a much different affair, held inside a large convention center with a special concert on the final day, which included one choir from every country represented at the symposium. Strikepoint was asked to represent the United States, which Alexander said had happened before. "It's a big honor," Alexander said.
"There are a lot of people that go to this, so to be selected is a big deal. We're held with high esteem among the handbell people in the handbell world." One of the reasons for this high esteem, according to longtim.