Tom McAlexander, a man who devoted his retirement to lifting East Hawaii’s voices in song, died June 2 at his Volcano home. He was 84.
A recurrence of cancer led to McAlexander relinquishing his baton in 2022 after a quarter century of conducting local choirs and choruses.
“He was not a classically trained musician, so to speak, but his knowledge of classical music and choir music was just enormous,” said Walter Greenwood, a pianist and organist who accompanied the Hilo Community Chorus and Christ Church Lutheran Choir in Hilo, both directed by McAlexander. “He fell into choral conducting kind of by accident, but embraced it and became a great choir leader.
“I just loved the guy.”
McAlexander rose from humble roots as the youngest of eight children in a northeast Texas farm family to become a forensic document examiner for the FBI, CIA and Secret Service. During his career in government, he spent a quarter-century as a singer and frequent tenor soloist in the Metropolitan Chorus in suburban Washington, D.C.
After retirement, McAlexander and wife, Emma, moved to Volcano in 1994. In 1996, when Volcano Festival Chorus director Camille Almy stepped down due to health issues — she died later that year — she asked McAlexander to step into the role.
McAlexander reluctantly accepted the appointment to the position but came to love conducting the chorus. He continued to direct the Volcano chorus until 2011, even after assuming the volunteer directorship of the Hilo Community Chorus in 2005 at the behest of the late Ken Staton, longtime maestro at the University of Hawaii at Hilo.
“Tom did this all these years without ever receiving a cent,” Greenwood said. “He always knew what he liked and what he wanted and what he didn’t like and what he didn’t want. He was large and in charge of his choir. But at the same time, he had great respect for my opinions and my expertise. And he never hesitated to listen when I had something to say.”
A Hilo Community Chorus tradition started by McAlexander is the “Messiah” sing-along — which was first held at Church of the Holy Cross. The event later moved to Christ Lutheran Church and finally, to the First United Protestant Church, where it continued until the pandemic.
McAlexander’s friend, tenor Ian McMillan, conducted the “Messiah” sing-along this past December at Church of the Holy Cross, where it began, and dedicated the event to McAlexander.
McAlexander also was on the original board of Kilauea Drama and Entertainment Network, or KDEN, a community theater organization that celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2022.
Friends, family and chorus members sang McAlexander’s praises on Facebook.
“This breaks my heart. Tom was such a good man. I will miss him,” said Suzi Bond, KDEN executive director.
“It was an honor and privilege to sing in the Hilo Community Choir under your direction,” said Roy Kaneko, adding the association allowed him to cross two items off his bucket list — performing at Carnegie Hall and the Lincoln Center.
“To the man who raised me and showed me how to be kind and resilient, I love you and will carry you with me always,” said Koaekea Wold-Brennon, McAlexander’s godson.
In addition to Wold-Brennon, McAlexander is survived by his wife, Emma.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
