Middlebury, VT—On the evening of Friday, July 7, the air around Middlebury will ring with the beauty of the College Chapel carillon bells, and a new season of the most public of performances will begin. The Middlebury College Carillon Summer Concert Series, an annual treat for visitors to campus and the surrounding community, will continue almost weekly on Fridays through August 18, ending with a performance for the Language Schools Commencement. Performed by internationally renowned carillonists, these six concerts will include music that runs the gamut from classical and folk songs to pop and Broadway.
This is the 38th year of the summer series, which has been directed since its inception by George Matthew Jr., Carillonneur for both Middlebury College and Norwich University. Mr. Matthew has taught generations of students at both schools the art of the carillon. In fact, Middlebury alumna Amy Heebner ’93, who is now the city carillonneur in Albany, NY, has been coming “home” to play in the series for several years.
In March of 2020, as Middlebury’s campus was shuttered by COVID-19, Mr. Matthew championed of the power of this far-reaching instrument. “On March 20th all our students left campus and I played Bach for hours, punctuating it every 10 minutes with the college alma mater, as if to say, ‘we ain’t beat yet and we want you back.’”
This summer’s Carillon Series performances are free and open to the public and can be enjoyed on the chapel steps or on the surrounding lawns. Audiences are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets. Picnics are optional!
2023 Carillon Series Schedule
July 7 at 6:00 PM: Sydney Nguyen, Assistant Carillonneur Wellesley College
July 14 at 6:00 PM: Sergei Gratchev, Instructor, Belgian Carillon School and Middlebury College Summer School
(no concert July 21)
July 28 at 6:00 PM: Simone Browne, Assistant Carillonneur, The Riverside Church, NYC
August 4 at 6:00 PM: Amy Heebner ‘93, City Carillonneur, Albany, NY
August 11 at 6:00 PM: Charles Semowich, Carillonneur, The Riverside Church, NYC
August 18 at 3:00 PM:* George Matthew Jr., Carillonneur, Middlebury College and Norwich University (*Please note early start time, as a prelude to Language Schools Commencement.)
About Middlebury’s Carillon
A carillon is a musical instrument whose sound is produced by at least 23 cast bronze, cup-shaped bells. The carillonneur plays by striking a keyboard with black and white keys and foot pedals connected by wires to the bells.
The Middlebury Carillon is housed in the Middlebury Chapel tower, which is a 75-step climb ending in a rustic ladder to reach the belfry—a challenge for intrepid musicians. It was established initially as a chime of eleven bells in 1918. (A chime is a similar instrument made up of fewer than 23 bells.) In 1985 the instrument was enlarged to a full carillon of 48 bells as a gift from then Chairman of the Board of Trustees Allan Dragone ’50 and his wife Jane Dragone. The summer series began in 1986 and has continued ever since.
Performance Details
All Summer Carillon Concert Series performances are free and will take place at the Middlebury Chapel, located on the campus of Middlebury College at 75 Hepburn Road. Free parking is available on Route 125/College Street, and on Old Chapel Road. In the case of inclement weather, the concerts will still take place, and audiences are welcome to listen from the chapel steps and front landing. For more information, please visit go.middlebury.edu/carillon.
