Carillon concerts ring in the summer

Grand Valley's summer-long International Carillon Concert Series begins Sunday with its traditional Father's Day concert, Pops for Pop, performed by GVSU University Carillonneur Julianne Vanden Wyngaard. The eighth annual series continues throughout the summer with concerts by guest performers from around the nation and Western Europe.

The free, hour-long concerts are held at 8 p.m. on Sundays now through August 18 at the48-bell Cook Carillon, Allendale Campus. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets and relax on the spacious lawn while listening to the music of the bells.

For those wishing an urban setting in which to hear the bells, the Beckering Family Carillon, situated in a courtyard on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus, will offer its own daytime concert series in July. The All-American Concert Series on the Beckering Family Carillon will feature four of the nation's top university carillonneurs.

The free concerts have found a niche in West Michigan, said Vanden Wyngaard, who coordinates Grand Valley's two series and teaches students on the centuries-old instrument. 'Our series is now known as one of the best-attended and most appreciated in the world,' she said.

Vanden Wyngaard, who received her carillon diploma from the Netherlands Carillon School, recently returned from Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, where she performed In Memoriam, September 11, 2001, written by carillonneur John Courter in memory of last year's tragedy. She will perform the piece in her July 21 concert on the Cook Carillon.

Schedules for both concert series follow.

Cook Carillon International Concert Series
Sundays at 8 p.m.
Allendale Campus

June 16: Julianne Vanden Wyngaard, GVSU
June 23: Auke de Boer, The Netherlands
June 30: Liesbeth Janssens, Belgium
July 4 (Thurs.), 2 p.m.: Ceremonial tolling of bells by Julianne Vanden Wyngaard, followed by
a patriotic concert.
July 7: Wylie Crawford, University of Chicago
July 14: Gijsbert Kok, The Netherlands
July 21: Julianne Vanden Wyngaard, GVSU
July 28: Karen Meyers and Diane deVries, GVSU
Aug. 4: Jenny King, Michigan carillonneur
Aug. 11: Todd Fair, University of Denver
Aug. 18: Julia Walton, Michigan carillonneur


All-American Concert Series at the Beckering Family Carillon
Wednesdays at noon
Pew Grand Rapids Campus

July 10: Margo Halsted, University of Michigan
July 17: Ray McLellan, Michigan State University
July 24: Linda Dzuris, Clemson University, S.C.
July 31: Tin-shi Tam, Iowa State University

In addition to the two summer concert series, GVSU carillonneur Julianne Vanden Wyngaard will provide weekly concerts at 12:15 p.m.: Tuesdays on the Cook Carillon, and Wednesdays and Sundays on the Beckering Family Carillon (except during July).

For more information, call the Music Department at (616) 895-3484.