Strikepoint

A top handbell ensemble, dedicated to producing the truest sound and sharing the joy of handbells

Strikepoint is an eleven-member handbell ensemble from Duluth, MN. Since 1984 we have performed as a directorless ensemble, traveling throughout the U.S. and Canada, as well as overseas to England, Scotland, Wales, Sweden, Japan, and Hong Kong. What makes Strikepoint unique? Well, there's that directorless thing. We perform at a consistently high level and are often invited to be the featured performers at handbell festivals. We're a church-based community/professional group. The group has always had a variety of ages, with some ringers as young as thirteen. We've been at the forefront of handbell technique innovation (have you seen us dip bells in water to bend the sound?). We've commissioned composers to write music for us; when that music is published, it contributes to the expansion of handbell music available for all groups to play. Strikepoint is self-sustaining, raising money primarily through concert donations and recordings sales. We dream big, always looking for ways to push the handbell envelope.

What will we do with your donation? Well, we knew this would happen. In 2021 we purchased three bells in the seventh-octave range (we call them Very Large Bells, or VLBs) but now we need (and want) more! A fourth bell was added this summer through a generous memorial gift; there are eight more bells available, and we have our eyes on one or two notes that come up most frequently in the music we're currently playing. The average cost is $5500 per bell and carrying case. 

Refurbishing bells should be done periodically; it extends their playability since the bells will work and sound better with parts that aren't worn out. Refurbishing includes replacing old inside parts, updating handles, cleaning and polishing the bell castings and getting rid of any blemishes our ringers have not been able to remove by hand polishing. 

We own a historic set of Petit& Fritsen bells that need to be restored. P&F bells were cast in a foundry that began in the Netherlands in 1660 but ceased operation in 2014. These old bells have leather parts and handles, many of which need to be remade. The P&F sound is quite different than our usual Schulmerich bells, but adds a different color that can be very effective in certain pieces of music.

Music is always a major expense (the average cost of a set of one title is $55). We also hope to attend the International Symposium in Japan in 2024, which will be a very expensive undertaking. 

On a handbell, the "strikepoint" is a mark etched into the side of the bell indicating where the clapper should strike in order to produce the truest sound. That's our goal: to produce the truest sound and make music at the highest level. Your donations will help us reach that goal and help us share our unique and innovative version of handbell virtuosity.