The School of Music announced that John Gouwens, a carillonneur at the Culver Academies in northern Indiana, will be visiting Ball State to teach and play the carillon -- the bells of the Shafer Tower.
Gouwens, who served as a consultant on the carillonneur committee during the construction of the Shafer Tower, will return to Ball State today to offer a free seminar at 3 p.m. to students and faculty, followed by a recital at 5 p.m.
The carillon is the instrument used to play the bells in the Shafer Tower. The bells can be controlled by either a player in the bell tower or by a computer controller which operates with a clock.
Gouwens said he will be teaching basic technique on a practice carillon in the music building, such as hand positioning and how to adjust the instrument. He hopes that one or two students will pick up on the instrument and be able to play in the tower later in the day.
"It's like learning to swim without the water," Gouwens said about playing the actual bells as opposed to the practice instrument.
Music professor Kirby Koriath explained that they wish to start a series of classes for the carillon on campus, which Gouwens will be offering.
Gouwens said he will return to campus an additional four times this semester, and in the spring he hopes he will be able to offer private lessons to students every two weeks.
Koriath said Gouwens is a natural choice in selecting a carillonneur because he is the only certified carillonneur in Indiana.
"This is a public instrument and anyone with the proper background and training is welcome to play it," Koriath said.
Though these classes are free to the community, Koriath said those wishing to take lessons should have a minimum of three to four years of keyboard study on top of the ability and willingness to climb the 101 steps to the reach the carillon that lies behind the Beneficence emblem on tower.
Margo Halsted, professor at the University of Michigan and consultant for the carillon, played at the dedication ceremony for the tower. And as one of the first to play the carillon at Ball State, the 35-year veteran of the instrument said these bells are among the best she's seen in the past few years.
Gouwens, who has played the bells at Ball State twice, also said that this is a fine instrument. He said it needs a few adjustments, though it is still operational enough to be played.
Although Koriath said he is not a trained carillon player, he is learning to play.
"It's a big beautiful instrument," Koriath said. "It's a little like a piano and like an organ."
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