International Carillon Congress in Michigan
Seven churches and three universities in Michigan will host a joint congress of the World Carillon Federation and the Guild of Carillonneurs in North America from June 26 through July 2. The gathering will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the GCNA, the 75th anniversary of the University of Michigan Baird Carillon, and the start of the next 500 years of the carillon, which originated in the area of Europe that now comprises Belgium, the Netherlands, and northern France. Activities will include recitals on nine carillons as well as other instrumental and ensemble performances, presentations and workshops, business meetings, and social events.
Congress headquarters will be located at Kirk in the Hills, Bloomfield Hills. The Kirk (77-bell Petit & Fritsen carillon) will host all events on Sunday and Monday, while St. Hugo of the Hills Catholic Church (48-bell Eijsbouts carillon) and Christ Church Cranbrook (50-bell Taylor carillon), also in Bloomfield Hills, will be Wednesday and Friday’s venues. Participants will journey to the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, on Tuesday, where activities will include a silent film with carillon accompaniment at the Baird Carillon (Taylor, 55 bells) on the central campus, a 75th-anniversary extravaganza recital on the north campus Lurie Carillon (Eijsbouts, 60 bells), a visit to the nearby Kerrytown Chime, and a Pipe Organ Encounter.
Thursday will feature a visit to Detroit to see and hear carillons at St. Mary’s of Redford (Paccard, 51 bells), Jefferson Avenue Presbyterian Church (Gillett & Johnston, 23 bells), Christ Church Grosse Pointe (Gillett & Johnston, 35 bells), and Grosse Pointe Memorial Church (Gillett & Johnston/Petit & Fritsen, 47 bells). On Saturday, following the previous day’s closing ceremonies, Michigan State University (Gillett & Johnston/Eijsbouts, 49 bells) in East Lansing and Grand Valley State University (Eijsbouts, 48 bells; Paccard, 48 bells) in Grand Rapids will provide open towers.
For further details, see www.gcna.org, www.carillon.org, and Facebook: Carillon Congress 2011.
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; or e-mail
[email protected]. For information on the Guild of Carillonneurs in North America: www.gcna.org.
