Carillon
About Our Carillon
A carillon is set up like a keyboard, with black and white keys and foot pedals that can help produce different kinds of sound. Each key is connected by wire to a bell clapper so different bells are rung depending on which key is struck. It is a 75-step climb up to Middlebury’s bell tower, atop Middlebury Chapel. The Middlebury Carillon is considered a traditional carillon of 48 bells. The pitch of Middlebury’s heaviest bell is E in the middle octave. It is a 2,300-pound bell; roughly the same weight as the Liberty Bell. In 1915, the instrument was begun with eleven bells by the Meneely bellfoundry in Watervliet, New York. Nine bells remain from that work. In 1986, the instrument was enlarged to its present size with bells made by Paccard-Fonderie des Cloches in Annecy, France. The enhanced carillon was presented as a gift from then Chairman of the Board of Trustees Allen Dragone ‘50 (and his wife Jane) in 1986. 27 bells remain from that work. In 2001, 12 bells were recast or replaced in 2001 by Meeks & Watson of Georgetown, Ohio.
In 1918, the family of former governor John Mead gave Mead Chapel a chime of 11 bells made by the Meneely Company of West Troy, New York (a chime is defined as six to 22 bells. A carillon comprises 23 or more bells.) A note about the chapel name. The Meneely family of that time was the 8th or 9th generation descendants of Paul Revere (a bell cast by Paul Revere is in the tower of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Middlebury). In 1985, through the kindness of donor Allen Dragone, then President of the Board of Trustees of the College, the chime was expanded to a full carillon of 48 bells by the firm Paccard et Fils of Annecy le-Vieux of France. Middlebury’s carillon is one of 183 carillons in the United States (71 of them in colleges or universities) and about 750 in the world.
George Matthew, Jr., has been the College Carillonneur since 1985, and teaches Middlebury College students the art of this unique musical form.
Middlebury College Carillon Series
Each year, musicians from around the world come to Middlebury to perform in the Middlebury Chapel’s bell tower, soaring high above the College campus. The melodic sounds of the carillon bells are a staple of summer life on the Middlebury College campus. Bring a lawn chair or a blanket and enjoy from any of the lawns surrounding the chapel! Free and open to the public.
Sponsored by: Mahaney Arts Center and the Department of Music
Contact Organizer:
Andres, Molly
mandres@middlebury.edu
802-443-3485
Friday, August 9, 6:00 pm
Sergei Gratchev, Instructor, Belgian Carillon School and Middlebury School of Russian
Please click here to see the full program.
Friday, August 16, 3:00 pm
George Matthew Jr., Carillonneur, Middlebury College and Norwich University
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(Please note special start time for this concert, offered as a prelude to Language Schools Commencement)
Friday, August 23, 6:00 pm
George Matthew Jr., Carillonneur, Middlebury College and Norwich University
Please click here to see the full program.
Friday, August 30, 6:00 pm
Amy Heebner ‘93, City Carillonneur, Albany, NY
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Saturday, September 7, 5:00 pm
George Matthew Jr., Carillonneur, Middlebury College and Norwich University
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Saturday, September 14, 5:00 pm
George Matthew Jr., Carillonneur, Middlebury College and Norwich University
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Saturday, September 21, 5:00 pm
John Whiteside, Carillonneur, St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Cohasset, MA
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Saturday, September 28, 5:00 pm
Dr. Andrea McCrady, Dominion Carillonneur, Canada
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Saturday, October 5, 5:00 pm
Carla Staffaroni, MA ’20, Assistant Carillonneur, Riverside Church, NYC
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Saturday, October 12 - No program; Yom Kippur
Saturday, October 19, 5:00 pm
Jessica Ip, Assistant Carillonneur, University of Chicago
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Saturday, October 26, 5:00 pm
George Matthew Jr., Carillonneur, Middlebury College and Norwich University
Please click here for the full program.