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Westminster Carillon to be Featured at Homecoming

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Posted on Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Westminster College’s 42-bell carillon will be featured at Homecoming and Reunion Weekend Oct. 6-9 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the last addition of bells given by the Class of 1956.

Guest carilloneur and alumnus Doug Gefvert ’71 will play the bells Saturday, Oct. 8, at 9 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 9, at 10 a.m. and noon. He earned a bachelor’s degree in organ from Westminster and master’s degree in music history from Temple University. He is currently carilloneur at the Washington Memorial National Carillon in Valley Forge.

One of only 55 college carillons nationwide, Westminster’s bells are an integral part of life on campus. In addition to chiming every quarter hour daily, they are played regularly by Paula Kubik, Westminster organist, and Joseph Bandi, a senior music education and music performance major, who earned a scholarship to cover the cost of lessons. Bandi is a son of Joseph and Debbie Bandi of Imperial and a graduate of West Allegheny High School.

A renewed interest in the carillon has led to interest in the formation of a student guild of carilloneurs, whose purpose includes increasing the number of students who learn and play the carillon regularly during the academic year.

Beyond Homecoming the carillon is scheduled to be played:

Sunday evenings at 6:30 p.m. prior to vespers, with Bandi at the controls.

Saturday, Oct. 22, at 10:45-11:30 a.m.

Sunday, Oct. 23, for Inauguration Week kickoff at 1 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 28, following Inauguration at 4 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 5, during Family Day

Saturday, Nov. 12, at 10:45-11:30 a.m.

Contact Kubik at 724-946-7270 or email kubikpa@westminster.edu for additional information.