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 longtime member Nancy Eaton, is because Alexander was among the first handbell choir directors to direct and lead the group from within.
Alexander plays alongside the members and doesn't conduct out front. "When we were just getting started, it was very unusual in the bell world," Eaton said. "It's become more common over the years, but we think that's because people took inspiration from us.
" Alexander said the decision to direct from inside the group gave the other group members a shared responsibility. "It takes longer to learn the music, but it puts the responsibility on everyone to be listening and take charge of their playing," Alexander said. "The music passes through them.
Once we did that, I noticed a huge jump in our level of playing." ADVERTISEMENT Eaton has been to one fewer symposium as Alexander and said she always comes away from them with a greater appreciation of the world. "It definitely requires a big commitment to go," Eaton said.
"You have to try and fly with bells and make sure your delicate musical instruments aren't lost or mishandled and not pay a lot of baggage fees. But once you're there in this room full of people playing handbells together — it's just so musically satisfying." Alexander is preparing to retire from Strikepoint at the end of August, a decision he said he'd struggled with for a while.
"I've been doing this for 40 years now and while I'm 70 and strong and active, I wanted to make sure I'm doing what's best for the group," Alexander said. "And having Derek Bromme as a member of the group makes it possible. He's a former student of mine when he was in high school band and I've known he would someday step into this role.
"If he wasn't here, I'd probably have to keep doing this until I was 90 if I wanted the group to survive. You need somebody passionate to help keep things going." Strikepoint will begin to prepare for their upcoming holiday concert.
Eaton said the group will continue to work with Alexander as they go. "Whenever someone's getting to leave the group, I always tell them, 'If you read the fine print of your contract, you can't ever really leave Strikepoint,'" Alexander said. "They're always able to come back or partner with us.
I said in my letter of farewell to the choir that I hope that also applies to me." ADVERTISEMENT.
