Carillon News

February Florida Festival

The 14th International Carillon Festival at Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales, Florida, will occur February 20-28, featuring carillonneurs Geert D'hollander, Todd Fair, Ulla Laage, Carlo van Ulft, Milford Myhre and William De Turk. Events include daily 3 pm carillon recitals, a moonlight recital  on February 27, lectures and exhibits in the new Education & Visitor Center, and several non-carillon concerts. For more information, contact Bill De Turk, Bok Tower Gardens, 1151 Tower Blvd., Lake Wales, FL 33853-3412; phone: 941/676-1154; fax: 941/676-6770; E-mail: <[email protected]>.

Berkeley Congress Report

The 56th Congress of the Guild of Carillonneurs in North America was held at the University of California at Berkeley, 17-20 June 1998 with 126 persons in attendance. University Carillonneur Geert D'hollander was the host. Held in conjunction with the Fifth Berkeley International Carillon Festival, the 1998 meeting focused on the life and work of Emilien Allard and honored the memory of Ronald Barnes. Madeleine Allard was present as an honored guest. Also honored were Evelyn Chambers and other members of the Class of 1928, patrons of the Berkeley Carillon and its International Carillon Festival.

Recitalists for the Congress were Lisa Lonie of Philadelphia; George Gregory of San Antonio, Texas; Claude Aubin of Montréal, Québec, Canada; Gideon Bodden of The Netherlands; Andrea McCrady of Spokane, Washington; and the carillonneurs of Berkeley: Geert D'hollander, John Agraz, Jeff Davis, David Hunsberger, and Liesbeth Janssens. The Berkeley Brass Quintet conducted by David Milnes joined Geert D'hollander and Liesbeth Janssens in a special program of music arranged for bells and brass by Ms.  Janssens. D'hollander gave the premiere performances of the winning pieces in the 1998 Johan Franco Composition Competition. The first prize was awarded to Mr. D'hollander himself for his Modal Nocturne. Ennis Fruhauf's Passacaglia was awarded second prize.

John Agraz gave a workshop on basic carillon maintenance. Masterclasses were taught by John Gouwens on interpretation and by Geert D'hollander on effective ways to learn new music. Two presentations on the music of Emilien Allard were given: Milford Myhre played historic recordings from Bok Tower, and Liesbeth Janssen shared her findings based on theoretical analyses of some of Allard's pieces.

Following successful examination recitals, ten members were accorded Carillonneur status by vote of the Guild: Steven Ball of Ann Arbor, Michigan; Linda Dzuris of Ann Arbor, Michigan; Chuck Barland of Lawrence, Kansas; Andy Greene of Berkeley, California; Andrew Capule of Berkeley, California; Liesbeth Janssens of Berkeley, California; Helena Chen of Berkeley, California; Sabin Levi of Provo, Utah; Geert D'hollander of Berkeley, California;  and Lynne Tidwell  of Lawrence, Kansas.

Dr. Joseph F. Marsh, Jr., former president of Concord College, and Alicia Porter Washam and Rufus "Buddy" Porter of Highland Park United Methodist Church, Dallas, were recommended and approved for Honorary Membership. Janet Dundore was awarded the Extraordinary Service Award for her many contributions to the Guild and to the profession, most particularly her original, audience-friendly approach to recitals. Emilien Allard, Evelyn Chambers, the Class of 1928, Janet Dundore, and Karel and Linda Keldermans received Berkeley Medals. A memorial fund in the name of Ronald Barnes was established to provide scholarships for North Americans to study the North American Carillon Art in North America.

The next congress of the GCNA will be held at Iowa State University, Ames, 16-19 June 1999. Tin-shi Tan will be our host. In the year 2000, the CGNA congress will be held in the city of Frederick, Maryland as well as at the Mercersburg Academy in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania. John Widmann and Jim Smith will be our hosts. Also in 2000 will be a congress of the World Carillon Federation in Springfield, Illinois, hosted by Karel Keldermans.

News from Iowa State

Iowa State University Carillonneur Tin-shi Tam sends the following news.

Spring carillon festival 1998

Iowa State University (ISU) hosted the Spring Carillon Festival 1998 and the Carillon Composition Competition during the weekend of April 24-26. Guest carillonneur was Albert Gerken, Carillonneur at the University of Kansas, Lawrence. He performed a recital featuring carillon music by Gary C. White, Professor Emeritus of Composition at ISU. He also conducted a seminar on "The importance of musical considerations in building or renovating a carillon." The Festival also included a Family concert featuring ISU student carillonneurs, the Ames Children's Preparatory Choir, ISU Dance and ISU/Ames Flute Ensemble. Tin-shi Tam, ISU University Carillonneur, presented a faculty recital during the Festival that included Emilien Allard's Sonata (1968).

In conjunction with the Festival, a Carillon Composition Competition was held to encourage the writing of original carillon compositions by young composers. Contestants from all parts of the country and overseas submitted entries. No award was given this year.

In 1999, Iowa State University will celebrate  the centennial anniversary of the Stanton Memorial Carillon. ISU will host the 57th Congress of The Guild of Carillonneurs in North America from June 16-19. Additional celebrations have also been planned.

Summer keyboard camp

The Sixth Annual Keyboard Exploration was hosted by Iowa State University Music Department from June 22 through 27. The summer music camp was for keyboard students who were entering grades 7-12. Participants experienced first-hand the thrill of playing various kinds of keyboard instruments including organ, harpsichord, piano and carillon. Nine students studied carillon under ISU University Carillonneur, Tin-shi Tam. Two carillon concerts were performed by students towards the end of the week.

News from Springfield

Karel Keldermans, carillonneur for the Springfield, Illinois, park district, sends the following news.

Midwest regional conference

The second Midwest Regional Conference of the GCNA was held in Springfield, Illinois, on Saturday, May 30, 1998. Participants from Kansas, Kentucky, Iowa, Illinois, and Denmark were hosted by Karel Keldermans.

John Courter of Berea College began the presentations with a description of his personal compositional style and indicated the importance of Gregorian chant in his music. He played a recording of two of his carillon fantasies, and a lively discussion ensued. Albert Gerken of the University of Kansas at Lawrence then took the podium to make the first of his two presentations for the conference. Bert gave an excellent analysis relative to the usefulness of C-sharp and D-sharp in the bass of the carillon. To this end, he gave an insightful explanation as to why Pieter Hemony several centuries ago had in fact been incorrect in asserting that C-sharp and D-sharp were "useless." With cogent examples from the  De Gruytters Carillon Book and various Van den Gheyn Preludes--music appropriate to the period under discussion--Bert then demonstrated musically why a carillon indeed needs to be fully chromatic.

Informal discussions continued as a catered lunch was served in the parlor, courtesy of the Springfield Park District. Following the lunch break, Ann-Kirstine Christiansen, a Danish carillonneur and administrator at the Scandinavian Carillon School in Løgumkloster, Denmark, gave her presentation on the formation of the School and explained how courses are set up, the number of students attending, and the number graduated. After Ann-Kirstine's presentation, the group transferred to the Rees Carillon where Bert Gerken took the second afternoon session--that of music notation. Bert has developed a unique system of handling and pedaling on his scores, and the group was very interested in his techniques as he demonstrated them at the keyboard of the Rees Carillon. The conference adjourned in the late afternoon with some of the attendees remaining in Springfield for the International Carillon Festival.

Annual Springfield festival

The 37th International Carillon Festival in Springfield, Illinois, was held at the Rees Memorial Carillon in Washington Park from May 31 through June 7, 1998. The eight days of the Festival were filled with carillon-related activities, culminating each evening in two or three recitals by guest carillonneurs.  This year's recitalists were Albert Gerken, Kansas; Ann-Kirstine Christiansen, Denmark; Ray McLellan, Michigan; Bob van Wely, The Netherlands; Gert Oldenbeuving, The Netherlands; Koen Cosaert, Belgium; Sue Jones, Illinois; and host Karel Keldermans.

The first evening of recitals featured Albert Gerken and Karel Keldermans performing original compositions and arrangements by Ronald Barnes (1927-1997). This evening of special tribute to North America's premier composer for the instrument was especially meaningful to festival audiences who had come to know Ron Barnes as a frequent participant and visitor to the Festival. During the rest of the week, Barnes' works were prominently featured in recitals by other guest carillonneurs. Huge crowds gathered Saturday evening for the traditional gala fireworks to the accompaniment of carillon music.

Prospectus: French Carillon School

The French Carillon School was established in 1971 in Tourcoing and has been associated with the Conservatoire National de Région de Douai since September, 1997. During the academic year, instruction is given at all levels: beginners, amateurs, professional, advanced, and virtuosity. Lessons are given regularly on Wednesday and Saturday mornings and are available on other days by appointment. Intensive sessions are available for those traveling from afar. Applied lessons are given alternately on practice consoles, the mobile carillon, and the belfry carillon. There is a mid-year exam, and a final exam with an international jury is held in mid-June to determine the award to be presented according to the guidelines of the National Music Conservatories: * Mentions: at the initial, preparatory, and elementary levels * Medals and Practice Diploma: at the middle level * Carillonneur Diploma: upon completion of program of study * Gold, Vermeil, Silver, and Bronze Medals: advanced level * Prizes and Certificates of Merit: superior level. (The Master Carillonneur Diploma is awarded as the Premier Prix at this level.) Since its inception, the French Carillon School has awarded twenty carillonneur diplomas (nine to foreigners) and ten Master Carillonneur Diplomas (three to foreigners). A class of virtuosity, a class for the preparation for international competitions, and a special course for the preparation for the State Diploma and Certificate of Aptitude for carillon instruction were recently established. There is an annual registration fee but no tuition. For information and registration, contact: Ecole Française de Carillon; 39, rue de l'Université; 59500 Douai; France. Phone/Fax: 33.3.27.93.58.33. Lessons are available in Tourcoing-contact Bruno Membrey; rue Paul Doumer; 59200 Tourcoing. Beginners can study in Dijon-contact M. Alain Chobert; 2 rue de Tillot; 21000 Dijon.

Brian Swager is a contributing editor of THE DIAPASON.

Next GCNA Congress

Iowa State University and University Carillonneur Tin-shi Tam will host the 57th Congress of The Guild of Carillonneurs in North America from Wednesday, June 16 through Saturday, June 19.  The congress will be part of the celebration of the centennial anniversary of the Bells of Iowa State.

The Bells of Iowa State were donated to the University by Edgar Williams Stanton, who graduated with the first class in 1872. Including his years as a student, Stanton spent a half century on campus, becoming a faculty member, head of the department of mathematics, secretary of the Board of Trustees, Dean of the Junior College, Vice President and, on four different occasions, Acting President.

Stanton's first wife was Margaret Price MacDonald Stanton, the University's first Dean of Women, who was a part of Iowa State for almost twenty-five years. When she died in 1895, her husband decided to establish a monument--a free-standing tower with a chime of ten bells. With the help of University President William M. Beard-shear, Stanton chose a site for the tower on central campus, and the state legislature appropriated $7,500 for the construction of the tower and its clock.

The Campanile was built in 1897, designed by an architect from Des Moines, George E. Hallett. The bells were installed in the newly built campanile in 1899. They were the first scientifically tuned bells to be exported by John Taylor & Company of Loughborough, England.

When Stanton died in 1920, his will provided for a second memorial. At the request of his second wife, Mrs. Julia Ann Wentch Stanton, and their children, the university installed twenty-six additional bells and a playing console in the campanile in 1929. The structure thus became known as the Edgar W. and Margaret MacDonald Stanton Memorial Carillon.

In 1954, the trustees of the Stanton Memorial Estate joined with others to create the Stanton Memorial Carillon  Foundation, further advancing the carillon at Iowa State. Soon after the foundation was formed, it purchased thirteen additional treble bells, along with a new playing console. These were installed in 1956, bringing the total number of bells to forty-nine. In 1967, a fiftieth bell was added.

The carillon and campanile were renovated from 1992 to 1994. The renovation of the carillon was completed by the I. T. Verdin Company and Meeks, Watson & Company. The work included a redesign of the framing and positioning of the bells, new clappers for all bells, a new transmission system (radial action) for the instrument, and new playing and practice consoles. The campanile received a new roof, the exterior bricks were repaired, and new clock movements and a digital control system were added to coordinate the operation of the clock and chimes.

Of the fifty bells cast by John Taylor & Company, the bourdon weighs 5,484 pounds and the smallest weighs 9 pounds. The total weight of the bells is 30,855 pounds. The pitches range from the second B-flat below middle C, then chromatically, four octaves from C to C4. The playing console is made according to the North American standard with a two-octave pedalboard (C-C2).

Next year is the centennial anniversary of the Bells of Iowa State.  The university is delighted to have the congress as part of the celebration. Located in Ames, Iowa State University is the nation's oldest land-grant university. Its campus covers nearly 2,000 acres and includes 154 buildings, many of which are on the National Register of Historic Places. Ames is easily accessed by Interstates 35 and 80. The Des Moines International Airport, located 45 minutes south of Ames, is served by major commercial airlines.

Congress lodging will be in the Iowa State Memorial Union, located across the street from Stanton Memorial Carillon and within walking distance to campus buildings; phone: 515/292-1111; fax: 515/294-1105. Other accommodations are available at Friley Hall, a campus residence hall; phone: 515/294-8384; fax: 515/294-0623. Also available is Iowa House, a guest house located one block south from Iowa State University; phone: 515/292-8870; fax: 515/292-8870.

Inquiries may be directed to the University Carillonneur, Department of Music, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011; phone: 515/294-2911; fax: 515/294-6409. E-mail: <[email protected]>. Further information about the Congress is available on the ISU Homepage: <http://www.music.iastate.edu/carillon&gt;.

Jenny King appointed in Michigan

Jenny Lungershausen King is the new carillonneur at Christ Church Cranbrook in Bloomfield Hills and at Jefferson Avenue Presbyterian Church in Detroit. Serving as interim carillonneur at Christ Church Cranbrook since the fall of 1995, King was appointed to the re-instated position last year. At Cranbrook she plays twice a month for Sunday morning worship services; for weddings, funerals and memorial services, and for special programs. She is responsible for coordinating the church's long-standing summer carillon series, initiated in 1928 by Anton Brees.

The Wallace carillon at Christ Church Cranbrook was originally installed in 1928. It now comprises 50 Taylor bells and a new keyboard designed and installed by Rick Watson.

King founded an annual summer carillon series at Jefferson Avenue Presbyterian Church in 1995. She became the official carillonneur at the church last year. The church's 23-bell Gillett and Johnston instrument was installed in 1925 in honor of Henry Russel. The oldest carillon in Michigan and to date the only carillon in Detroit, the Jefferson Avenue Presbyterian instrument likewise is played before and after Sunday worship, for special events and in recital. It features its original playing console.

King studied with Bill De Turk at Grosse Pointe Memorial Church and played her GCNA examination recital in 1991 at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. A graduate of Oberlin College, she is a freelance writer who covers the auto and commercial real estate industries for several publications. In September she took delivery of a 1998 VW New Beetle and figures she may be the first GCNA member to own one. "Hug it, drive it--either way it's great," she said.

Carillon composition competition

The fifth international Queen Fabiola Carillon Competition will take place in 2003 in Mechelen, Belgium. It is the most prestigious performance competition for carillonneurs. To complement this event, the Royal Carillon School "Jef Denyn" in Mechelen, in conjunction with the city of Mechelen and with the support of local carillon associations, has organized a composition competition. The winning score will be performed by the finalists in the 2003 Queen Fabiola Competition.

The composition should last about five minutes and should be adapted to the carillon of the St. Rombout's tower in Mechelen, which comprises 49 bells. The instrument transposes down a fourth. (C on the keyboard sounds G.)  The keyboard compass is B-flat, C, D, E-flat, then chromatic to C.

The jury will be asked to focus on:

* Suitability: Is the composition suitable for carillon and can it be played by an experienced carillonneur?

* Originality: How inventive is the piece?

* General musicality: Does the composition appeal to the general music lover?

The winning score, which will be the obligatory work for the Queen Fabiola Competition, will be awarded the "Jef Denyn Award" of 1000 Euros.

A special "Staf Nees Award" of 300 Euros will be awarded to a work based on a folksong.

Each participant may submit one or more original compositions. Scores can be written by hand or notated with a computer. Entries must reach the Royal Carillon School "Jef Denyn," F. de Merodestraat 63, B-2800 Mechelen, Belgium, by October 31, 2002. Besides the name and address of the Royal Carillon School, the outer envelope and the musical score itself may only mention the following:

* "Composition Competition 2002"

* a motto

* the award sought (Jef Denyn or Staf Nees)

A closed inner envelope mentioning only the motto on the outside, contains a page with the name and address of the composer. This envelope will be opened only after the jury has made its decision.  The identity of the composer must not be discernible in any way from the envelope or the score. 

The winners will be notified and invited for the presentation of awards in the Mechelen City Hall. The results of the competition will be announced by the press. The winning scores remain property of the Royal Carillon School, which retains the right to publish the works. Scores of non-winning works will be returned on request. Finally, the jury may decide not to award a prize if the scores presented do not meet the requested standards.

A new type of bell

It has been said many times that since the computer made its appearance in bell foundries in the mid-eighties, the possibilities have expanded greatly. For example, Dr. André Lehr, conservator of the Dutch National Carillon Museum and former director of the Royal Eijsbouts Bell Foundry, developed a considerably lighter bell with the same diameter as the customary bell while maintaining the same pitch and sonority. A traditional C2 bell with a diameter of 30 inches (77 cm.) weighs approximately 631 pounds (286 kg.) The new bell design with the same diameter only weighs 472 pounds (214 kg.). With 25% less bronze, the result was surprising. The Royal Petit & Fritsen Bell Foundry in Aarle-Rixtel, The Netherlands, cast a prototype. It has a beautiful sound and moreover a long, resonant decay. More details are available in an article written by Dr. Lehr entitled "The Geometrical Limits of the Carillon Bell," published in the periodical, Acustica, Vol. 86, 2000, pp. 543-549. There is no copyright on the bell--it can be cast and used by anyone who wishes.

Brian Swager is carillon editor of THE DIAPASON.

Aimé Lombaert, a well-known Flemish carillonneur, passed away on October 30, 2008, at age 63. He had just retired from his positions as municipal carillonneur in the Belgian cities of
Bruges, Deinze, Poperinge, Damme, and Geraardsbergen. Lombaert was born in Oudenaarde, Belgium, and studied at the Royal Music Conservatory in Ghent, the Lemmens Institute, and the Royal Carillon School in Mechelen. He received his diploma from the Royal Carillon School in 1978, became assistant carillonneur to Eugeen Uten in Bruges in 1980, succeeding him as municipal carillonneur in 1984. In Deinze, he played one of the few “major-third” carillons.

As a result of the economic downturn, Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales, Florida, announced the cancellation of its International Carillon Festival in 2009 as well as the elimination of the positions of the assistant carillonneur/librarian and the administrative assistant.

David Monaghan, Curator of Canada’s House of Commons, announced the appointment of Andrea McCrady to the position of Dominion Carillonneur on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada. McCrady’s former carillon position at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Spokane, Washington is open.

Trinity College, a liberal arts school with approximately 2,200 students in Hartford, Connecticut, is seeking a college carillonneur. The original 30-bell carillon built by the John Taylor Bellfoundry was enlarged to 49 bells in 1978. It hangs in the tower of the Trinity College Chapel.

Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, holds its 2009 Carillon Festival September 5, 10 am–4 pm. The guest carillonneur is Adrian Patrick Gebruers from Cobh, Ireland. He will conduct a seminar on Irish carillon music and perform a recital at the festival. In addition, the ISU Celtic Dance Society will present a program on Celtic dances. Hosting the festival is associate professor of music and university carillonneur Tin-shi Tam. In conjunction with the carillon festival, a carillon composition competition is being held to encourage the writing of original carillon compositions by young composers, under age 35. Prizes include a cash award of $500 and the premiere performance of the winning composition at the festival.

The Begijnhof Church, Sint-Jan-de-Doper (St. John the Baptist), in Leuven (Louvain), Belgium, is expanding its 16-bell chime into a carillon. The historic series of 16 Gillett & Johnston bells, which were once part of the carillon of the Leuven University Library, have been played in recent years by an automatic chiming mechanism. The Royal Eijsbouts firm of Asten, the Netherlands, is casting 29 new bells in the profile and tuning of the Gillett & Johnston bells. The instrument will be played by means of a baton keyboard in the new world standard. The Begijnhof is now part of the university and belongs to the UNESCO World Heritage. The carillon will be played for the first time during the Open Monument Day on September 13.

Carillonneur Piet van den Broek passed away on October 26, 2008, at age 92. Van den Broek was director of the Royal Belgian Carillon School and municipal carillonneur in Mechelen, Belgium, from 1965 until his retirement in 1981. Born in Chaam, the Netherlands, he left at age 18 for Mechelen to study at the Lemmens Institute. Upon his graduation in 1938 he became adjunct organist at St. Rombouts Cathedral. He began carillon studies with Staf Nees in 1941 and received his final diploma from the carillon school four years later.

Send items for “Carillon News” to Dr. Brian Swager, c/o The Diapason, 3030 W. Salt Creek Lane, Suite 201, Arlington Heights, IL 60005-5025; <brian@
allegrofuoco.com>. For information on the Guild of Carillonneurs in North America: GCNA, 37 Noel Dr., Williamsville, NY 14221; <www.gcna.org&gt;.

1995 GCNA Congress

The 53rd Congress of the Guild of Carillonneurs in North America was held at Princeton University, June 21-25, 1995. Robin Austin, Carillonneur of Princeton University, served as host. There were 114 registered participants representing Australia, Belgium, Canada, England, Ireland, The Netherlands, and the USA. The Congress served as a commemoration of Professor Arthur Lynds Bigelow (1910-1967), Princeton's first carillonneur and one of America's first campanologists. Bigelow hosted GCNA Congresses at Princeton in 1946 and 1966.

Guild President Larry Weinstein opened the Congress with a recital on the Princeton University Carillon. His program featured Ronald Barnes' Capriccio 3, commissioned by the University for the rededication of the renovated instrument in 1993. Other congress recitalists included Janet Dundore, Carillonneur at St. Thomas' Church, Whitemarsh, PA; Richard Watson, campanologist and designer of the refitted Princeton carillon; Jeff Davis, Assistant Carillonneur at the University of California, Berkeley; Tin-shi Tam, Carillonneur at Iowa State University; and Luc Rombouts, Carillonneur at the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium and City Carillonneur of Tienen, Belgium.

An excursion on Friday enabled participants to visit two other area carillons. Robert Byrnes, Carillonneur at the University of Northern Iowa, was heard in recital at Grace Church in Plainfield, New Jersey. Arie Abbenes, instructor at The Netherlands Carillon School and City Carillonneur of Utrecht, Eindhoven, Asten, and Oirschot, performed at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Morristown, New Jersey. Richard Morgan, Organist and Choirmaster of St. Peter's Church, demonstrated the 1930 E.M. Skinner organ there as well as playing a recital on the organ in the Princeton University Chapel.

John Agraz presented a case study on carillon maintenance and construction, stemming from his experiences with the Berkeley carillon. Karel Keldermans and Richard Watson made presentations on the North American Standard for carillon keyboard construction. Milford Myhre and Sally Slade Warner led a workshop on arranging music for carillon—participants had sent in arrangements and transcriptions in advance for commentary at the Congress. Jo Haazen gave a talk on the Belgian Carillon School, of which she is director. Arie Abbenes and Jacques Maassen presented the Dutch Carillon School's video production on carillon playing technique. Luc Rombouts reported on the recent discovery (April, 1995) of a  manuscript of the carillon works of Matthias van den Gheyn which includes six unknown works.

Princeton University Archivist Ben Primer organized an exhibit on Arthur Bigelow and the "Class of 1892 Bells" from materials in the Bigelow Papers at Firestone Library. Chimemasters Bob Feldman and Donald Beer organized activities at Trinity Church for those who play chime. The church has a 12-bell Meneely/Paccard chime.

Officers for 1995-96 include Larry Weinstein, President; Gloria Werblow, Vice-President; Phillip Burgess, Treasurer; Janet Tebbel, Corresponding Secretary; and David Hunsberger, Recording Secretary. Jane Tebbel, Jeff Davis, and Andrea McCrady were elected as members at-large of the board.

A certificate of extraordinary service was awarded to Margo Halsted upon completion of her 15-year editorship of Carillon News, the newsletter of the GCNA. Her successor in that position in Brian Swager. Honorary membership  status was conferred on Albert Bertram, Walter Pittis, Gary Walker, and Ronald Barnes. Lori Lamma, a student of Ronald Barnes, played an advancement recital and was voted into carillonneur membership.

The Royal Eijsbous Bellfoundry sponsored an elegant banquet. John Taylor Bellfounders sponsored a luncheon at St. Peter's in Morristown. And the Verdin Company sponsored the annual pizza party. As a post-congress event, Janet Dundore and Janet Tebbel organized a tour of Philadelphia-area carillons. Sally Slade Warner extended an invitation to the 1996 Congress which she will host in Cohasset, Massachusetts, June 25-28.

GCNA composition competition

The Guild of Carillonneurs in North America is sponsoring a composition competition for new music for carillon. The piece must be written for an instrument of up to 48 bells with a compass of C, D, D#, thence chromatic through c3. First and second prizes will be $800 and $400, respectively. The deadline for entries is January 15, 1966. Winning compositions will be performed at a congress of the GCNA and will be published by that organization. A 90-minute video tape demonstrating aspects of playing and composing for the carillon, geared toward composers, is available for $15 postpaid. For competition rules and to obtain the video tape, contact John Gouwens; Att. Composition Competition; CMA #133; 1300 Academy Road; Culver, IN 46511-1291.

Send Carillon News to Dr. Brian Swager, Indiana University, School of Music, Bloomington, IN 47405.

Slater to Retire

James "Bud" Slater will retire from his position
as Carillonneur of the Metropolitan United Church in Toronto, Ontario. With his
final Sunday on the job on March 28, Slater will mark the conclusion of his
35th year as carillonneur of the church. His association with the instrument
actually commenced in late 1954, and his first official recital was played
before the Sunday evening service May 22, 1955 under the watchful eye of his
tutor, Stanley James. Slater was appointed Assistant Carillonneur in 1959. During his tenure at Metropolitan, he had temporary appointments at other Ontario carillon locations, i.e., in Toronto at Exhibition Place and the University of Toronto, as well as Niagara Falls. He appeared frequently as guest carillonneur at the towers in Simcoe, Hamilton, and Ottawa, as well as Montréal, Que., and Victoria, B.C.

Slater became a student member of the Guild of Carillonneurs
in North America in 1955 and qualified as a carillonneur member in 1957 upon
passing an exam at the Guild's congress in Cleveland, Ohio. From 1969 to 1971
Slater served as GCNA president and subsequently, he and his wife, Cecilia,
hosted the Guild's Toronto Congress in 1972. James Slater is the father of
Gordon Slater who since 1977 has served as Dominion Carillonneur at the Peace
Tower Carillon in the Houses of Parliament in Ottawa.

On the eve of his 70th birthday in January, 1997, Bud cites
stairclimbing, cranky knees and reluctant elbows as his reasons for retirement.

1997 GCNA Congress

The Department of Music and Dance and Professor of Music
Albert Gerken have announced that the 1997 Congress of the Guild of
Carillonneurs in North America will be held at the University of Kansas, June
4-7. Major presenters will include Bill De Turk, George Gregory, Mark Holmberg,
Associate Professor of Music Theory at KU, Karel Keldermans, Roy Hamlin
Johnson, Brian Swager, and Edward Williams, Associate Dean of the Graduate
School of Penn State.

With ca. 28,000 students, the University of Kansas is in
Lawrence, a community of ca. 70,000. Directly off Interstate 70, Lawrence is
located about 250 miles from the geographical center of the U.S.A. The
picturesque campus of the University of Kansas is situated atop Mount Oread
overlooking the Kaw River valley to the north and the Wakarusa valley to the
south. Not flat as most foreigners picture Kansas, there will be some climbing
to do to get to various places. The Campanile is central to the campus
overlooking the football stadium and Kansas river valley. It was provided by
alumni and friends of the University as a memorial to the 276 KU students and
faculty who died in World War II.

Unquestionably the most prominent and central feature of the
campus, the 120-foot tall World War II memorial tower houses a 41/2-octave
carillon, cast in 1950 by the John Taylor Foundry. Transposing down a half
step, the 53 bells range in weight from 13,490 lbs. to 12 lbs. The instrument,
which was dedicated in May, 1951, with Anton Brees playing the dedicatory
recitals, was rededicated on April 26, 1996, following a complete renovation by
the I.T. Verdin Company with new consoles supplied by Meeks, Watson &
Company. The new radial action is void of any counter weights and assisted only
by coil springs. The sound is full and resonant but light in the top register,
typical of Taylor bells of that vintage.

Major funding for the renovation was provided by Honorary
members of The GCNA, and Keith and Joan Bunnel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Both were born and raised in Holmboldt, Kansas, not far from Lawrence, and
Keith Bunnel attended the University of Kansas, graduating in 1946. He was
president of his class and served on the World War II committee that selected
the Campanile and carillon as the memorial project to honor those who were
killed in battle.

The importance of the University of Kansas carillon has been
significant in that it has been at the center of a new genre of carillon
composition since the 1950s. Indeed, until the mid 1950s, very little music of
any significance had been written for the carillon. It was the likes of Ronald
Barnes, the first carillonneur at the University of Kansas, Roy Hamlin Johnson,
formerly of the KU piano faculty, John Pozdro, Professor Emeritus of
Composition and Music Theory at the University, and Gary White, one of Pozdro's
former graduate students in composition, who were the central figures
responsible for creating this wealth of marvelous and exciting new music. Their
works brought about recognition for the carillon as an instrument worthy of
recital status.

Because of the significance of their tremendous contribution
to the art form, many of their works will be featured in recitals during the
congress. It will be a meaningful experience to hear many of these works that
were written for this instrument or carillons of similar timbre. Two new
carillon compositions by Roy Hamlin Johnson and John Pozdro, commissioned by
the KU Department of Music and Dance and The GCNA respectively, will be
premiered at the congress.

Tours of the Reuter Organ Company will be made available to
participants and the beautiful new Wolff concert organ in the recently
completed Bales Recital Hall will be demonstrated and played. This is a
one-of-a-kind instrument you must see and hear.

Registration information is available from congress host
Albert Gerken, Department of Music and Dance, Murphy Hall, The University of
Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045.

"Overtones"

Beginning last October, new bells rang out up and down the
Avenue of the Arts (Broad Street) in Philadelphia. Thirty-nine Eijsbouts bells
were installed, each on top of a light post, weighing from 40 to 300 pounds.
The creator, Robert Coburn, a sound artist and composer from California,
describes the "worlds longest horizontal carillon" as a half-mile
long piano with the capability of playing pre-programmed or live music on an
electronic ivory keyboard which will be located in the basement of the Academy
of Music.

In observance of the 68th anniversary of The Rochester
Carillon, two special performances were given. Dean Robinson's program on
September 16 included favorite songs of the Mayo brothers. David Johnson of St.
Paul, MN, was the guest recitalist on September 17. The Rochester Carillon was
dedicated on September 17, 1928, and is located in the Mayo Clinic in
Rochester, Minnesota.

David McCain sends word of a new 49-bell carillon at the
First Baptist Church on the Square in LaGrange, Georgia, replete with
"ninety-two electrical connections from the bells to the keyboard and
computer."

In response to a request from Unesco for a program
commemorating the tenth anniversary of the accident at Chernobyl, carillonneurs
Charles Semovich and Pieter Blonk gave a recital at the Albany City Hall in
Albany, New York, on April 26, 1996. Works performed included Lagrima by
Francisco Tárrega, Bells of Hell by Theophil Rusterholz, and Larence
Curry's Prelude on "Dies Irae." Both Charles and Pieter were shown
playing the Albany carillon on the Channel 13 news broadcast.

The fourth annual Keyboard Explorations junior high school
summer music camp was hosted by the Iowa State University Music Department from
June 17-22, 1996. Participants had the opportunity to learn about various kinds
of keyboard instruments and had hands-on experiences in playing them. Eight
participants studied carillon under ISU University Carillonneur Tin-shi Tam.
Two carillon concerts were performed by students towards the end of the week.

After over a decade of silence, inactivity, and exposure to
the elements, the 23-bell carillon located on the property of Schulmerich Carillons, Inc. in Sellersville, Pennsylvania, rang again in a recital given by Lisa Lonie (Trinity Church, Holland, PA) on September 21. Approximately 250 listeners attended the recital which marked the end of a five-day sales and service conference. The carillon, cast in 1928 by Gillett and Johnston, was moved to its present location in 1952 from Belmont College in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1979, Frank Law, carillonneur at Valley Forge, began a nightly summer recital series in Sellersville which continued for six years.

Competition winners

The Guild of Carillonneurs in North America has awarded
Second Prize to two composers in its 1996 Carillon Composition Competition. (No
First Prize was awarded.) The winning compositions were Nocturne
style='font-style:normal'> by Ennis Fruhauf, of Santa Barbara, California (USA)
and Prelude con Fughetta by
Marcel Siebers, of Cuyk, The Netherlands. Both compositions were given their
première performance by Todd Fair, of Amsterdam (Netherlands), at the
congress of the GCNA on June 4, 1996 at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church,
Cohasset, Massachusetts. Both composers received a cash prize, and both pieces
will be published by the guild in the near future. Another competition is
planned for January of 1998.

Premières

A new carillon composition, Winter Song
style='font-style:normal'>, by Roy Hamlin Johnson, was given its
première performance by John Gouwens on June 26, 1996 on the carillon of
the Town Hall in Norwood, Massachusetts, at the congress of the Guild of
Carillonneurs in North America. The new piece was commissioned by the Johan
Franco Composition Committee of the GCNA and is published by the guild. Many of
Dr. Johnson's earlier compositions are staples of the repertory of
carillonneurs throughout North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.
This is the sixth carillon composition to the commissioned by the GCNA.