Christmas bells will soon be ringing throughout West Michigan, but the biggest, loudest and most melodic will ring on Christmas Eve, from a 151-foot tower on the Pew Campus of Grand Valley State University.
That's when University Carillonneur Julianne Vanden Wyngaard will climb the 100 steps of the Beckering Family Carillon Tower, sit before the carillon's large, wooden keyboard, and strike the batons, or levers, that ring bells as heavy as two tons. The result will be a 48-bell recital of traditional Christmas carols pealing out over downtown Grand Rapids.
The performance will take place from 9:30-10:30 p.m. on Sunday, December 24
¿ timed so that people arriving for or leaving Christmas Eve church services will hear the bells. Passers-by are welcome to park in the GVSU visitors parking lot, off Winter Ave., or stroll the campus while listening.The Christmas Eve carillon recital is a first-time event, said Vanden Wyngaard. It's something I would like to see become a holiday tradition for the Grand Rapids community, she said.
The Beckering Family Carillon Tower, completed just last summer, is one of the most prominent additions to Grand Valley's downtown Pew Grand Rapids Campus. The tower houses 48 bronze bells ¿ the largest weighing in at 4500 pounds ¿ which are attached by steel cables to a keyboard below. The carillonneur plays the instrument by striking the keyboard's wooden batons with a closed fist.
Carillon playing ¿ which dates back five centuries as a method of announcing the time and important news in the Low Countries of Europe ¿ is becoming a campus tradition at GVSU. The university acquired its first carillon ¿ the Cook Carillon ¿ on its Allendale campus in 1994, and has since hosted noted carillonneurs from around the world for its free summer concert series.
Vanden Wyngaard, a pianist and professor in the GVSU Music Department, has traveled to the Netherlands four times in the past four years to study the carillon. She recently earned her diploma at the Netherlands Carillon School, and is a member of the Guild of Carillonneurs of North America. She is now teaching several GVSU students to play the instrument.
Both of Grand Valley's carillons can be set to chime or play automatically, but the true beauty of the bells can only be realized with a live performance, says Vanden Wyngaard. She alternates between campuses, climbing the 61-step Cook Tower or 100-step Beckering Tower daily. Her carillon students also get opportunities to perform. Each tower gets one live concert per day, she said. Live performances are at noon or 5 p.m.
Now there's one more performance to add to the list: Grand Rapids' Christmas Eve carillon concert.
