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Learning to Play the Carillon

As with all musical instruments, learning to play the carillon requires a combination of general musical education and specialized instrumental education.  The Guild does not provide formal education of either type, though from time to time it does provide some informal specialized education in the course of its annual Congresses.

However, in recognition of the importance of education to the art of the carillon, we list places and people who can provide such education, either formally or informally.  (Some institutions do both.)  Instructors who are Associate or Carillonneur members of the Guild are identified by (A) or (C), respectively.  The Guild does not accredit or otherwise evaluate any aspect of the educational offerings of institutions or individuals with respect to the quality of education or any other characteristic.

Prerequisites

While each course of study or carillon instructor will have specific prerequisites to be met, previous study in applied music is commonly required.  It is very helpful if the student is already familiar with musical notation, especially as related to keyboard instruments.  Carillon music is written with both treble and bass clefs, so fluency in reading such music will eventually be essential.

Access to a carillon practice clavier is almost essential.  Not all carillon installations have practice claviers, and their absence makes learning to play much more difficult.  There are practice claviers which are privately owned, not associated with any carillon installation; but they are expensive and difficult to find.  By far the best situation is to live within a reasonable distance of a good carillon which has an identical practice clavier.
 

Formal Carillon Education

Here we list academic institutions in North America which provide formal (i.e., for-credit) education related to the carillon, in order by state or province without regard to the level of formal education offered.  Where the city name is not implied by the institutional title, it appears following that title.

California

  • The University of California at Berkeley
    • Website:  UCB carillon pages  or  our site data page
    • Coursework:  The General Catalog of UC/Berkeley includes group carillon lessons for beginning students and private carillon lessons for beginning, intermediate and advanced students.
    • Instructor:  Jeff Davis (C), University Carillonist
  • The University of California at Riverside
    • Website:  UCR home page  or  our site data page
    • Coursework:  private lessons.  If the student is enrolled in a music department ensemble the lessons can be subsidized by the department.  Any student on campus can enroll for lessons, but if not subsidized by the music dept., they are responsible for the lesson fees.
    • Instructor:  David Christensen (C), University Carillonneur

Colorado

  • Lamont School of Music, University of Denver
    • Website:  Lamont School of Music  or  our site data page
    • Coursework:  The School offers B.M. and M.M. degrees, with courses in Performance, Carillon History, Mechanics, Literature and Pedagogy.
    • Instructor:  Todd Fair (C), University Carillonneur

Florida

  • University of Florida, at Gainesville
    • Website:  UF carillon studio  or  our site data page
    • Coursework:  private applied lessons with carillon faculty.  Carillon may declared as one's primary performance instrument.  Students may pursue a music performance minor, with carillon as their instrument.
    • Instructor:  Laura Ellis (A), Associate Professor of Music and University Carillonneur

Illinois

  • Principia College, at Elsah
    • Website:  College home page  or  our site data page
    • Coursework:  carillon instruction, campanology, carillon history; a BA in carillon is possible.
    • Instructor:  Carlo van Ulft (A), carillonist and adjunct faculty

    • Kentucky

    • Berea College
      • Website:  College home page  or  our site data page
      • Coursework:  private applied lessons.  While the College awards the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Music (General Music; or Music Education Vocal or Instrumental), there is not a specific degree offered in Carillon.
      • Instructor:  John Courter (C), Prof. Emeritus of Music, College Organist & Carillonneur

    Michigan

    • Michigan State University, at East Lansing
      • Website:  MSU carillon pages  or  our site data page
      • Coursework:  for academic credit, at both undergraduate and graduate levels (but no degree in carillon is offered). 
      • Instructor:  Ray McLellan (C), University Carillonneur
    • The University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor
      • Website:  UM music department pages  or 
      • Coursework:  for academic credit, individual carillon instruction and a weekly carillon studio.  A Master's degree in Carillon Performance is offered.
      • Instructors:
          Steven Ball (C), Assistant Professor and University Carillonneur
          Jenny King (C), Lecturer in Carillon and Assistant University Carillonneur

    Missouri

    • Missouri State University, at Springfield
      • Website:  MSU home page  or  our site data page
      • Coursework:  The Music Department offers carillon instruction at the undergraduate and graduate levels to majors and non-majors.  In addition, there are a number of courses in carillon pedagogy, carillon literature, and carillon ensemble.  At the undergraduate level, there is a BM in carillon performance.  Additionally, students can elect carillon as their major instrument for the BA or BME degrees.  At the graduate level, MSU offers a Master of Music degree in two tracks: Carillon Performance and Carillon Pedagogy.
      • Instructor:  Jeremy Chesman (C), University Carillonist and Associate Professor of Music

    Texas

    • Baylor University, at Waco
      • Website:  BU carillon pages  or  our site data page
      • Coursework:  for academic credit, at both undergraduate and graduate levels (but no degree in carillon is offered). 
      • Instructor:  Lynnette Geary (C), University Carillonneur

    Informal Carillon Education

    Informal education includes private lessons from a music teacher, group or individual lessons through non-academic organizations, and not-for-credit courses offered by academic institutions.  The fact that it is informal has no bearing on whether it may be of better or worse quality than any particular course of formal education.

    Illinois

    • University of Chicago:  Non-credit individual instruction is available for students and selected area residents from University Carillonneur Wylie Crawford (C) and Assistant Carillonneur Jim Fackenthal (C).
    • Naperville Park District:  Non-credit individual instruction is available from City Carillonneur Tim Sleep (C) and Music Director Wylie Crawford (C).
    • Glencoe, Chicago Botanic Garden:  Non-credit individual instruction is available Resident Carillonneur Wylie Crawford (C).

    Kentucky

    • John Courter (C), at Berea College (see above), also offers non-credit coaching.

    Massachusetts

    • Wellesley College:  Margaret Angelini (A) instructs the student carillonneurs there and offers private lessons.

    Michigan

    • Michigan State University:  Through the Community Music School, which is an outreach institution of the College of Music, members of the general community may enroll for carillon lessons with Ray McLellan (C), University Carillonneur (see above).

    New Jersey

    • Princeton University
      • Website:  PU carillon pages  or  our site data page
      • Coursework:  Weekly individual and group lessons are offered free of charge to interested students, faculty and staff as well as community members.
      • Instructor:  Robin Austin (C), University Carillonneur

    Other options for carillon education

    Besides the carillons associated with the institutions listed above, there are many others in North America.  (See the Technical Information section of this Website, which includes all of the site data pages linked above.)  It is possible that there may be institutions or individuals associated with them where carillon instruction could be obtained, though that has not been reported to us.  The site data page for each carillon provides contact information for such institutions and individuals to the extent that it is known to us.  The same page also reports what is known about the presence or absence of practice instruments associated with the carillon.  Any carillon which is regularly played by a Guild member and which has a practice keyboard might be a source of carillon education, even if only at a basic level.

    There are carillon schools in several countries of Europe.

    Sydney, Australia:  Dr. Jill Forrest (A), University Carillonist at The University of Sydney, provides instruction which can lead to a position as Honorary Carillonist there.