Carlo van Ulft has been appointed carillonneur for the Thomas Rees Memorial Carillon, Springfield, Illinois. Ulft is the fourth carillonneur for Springfield since the instrument’s completion in 1962. Prior to Ulft’s appointment effective October 1, 2015, he served as carillonneur in Centralia, Illinois, for 18 years.
A native of the Netherlands, Ulft holds European Masters level degrees in organ performance, carillon performance, and theatre organ performance. From 1984–87, he served on the faculty of the Royal Carillon School “Jef Denyn” in Mechelen, Belgium. He also held municipal carillonneur positions in several cities of the Netherlands. He is a frequent carillon recitalist throughout the United States and Europe, having performed for several conferences of the Guild of Carillonneurs in North America. In 1993, the University of California, Berkeley, awarded him a Medal of Honor for “distinguished service to the carillon.” He was a founder of the North American Carillon School in 2012. The school has branches throughout the United States.
Ulft succeeds Robin Austin, Springfield Park District Carillonneur for two years, and Karel Keldermans, who served the district for 35 years prior to retirement in 2012.
For information: http://carillon-rees.org.
