Strikepoint Announces Japan Summer Tour
It’s been a busy year of planning, budgeting, rehearsing, and communicating for Strikepoint, our touring handbell ensemble. This August the 11-member group will travel to Hamamatsu, Japan to participate in the 21st International Handbell Symposium.
It has been 38 years since Strikepoint last visited Japan. That was for the 2nd International Symposium, held in Gotemba. Many of the friendships formed at that 1986 event are still strong to this day. Three members of Strikepoint who participated at Gotemba are returning this year: Sue Marquardt, Nancy Eaton, and Bill Alexander. This year’s event will host 700 handbell musicians.
The International Symposium is held every two years and rotates among the world’s eight countries with national handbell organizations. Strikepoint has previously participated in five symposia—Japan, USA (Albuquerque and Orlando), England (Birmingham), and Canada (Toronto). It’s going to be an exciting year!
