News from The McGaffin Carillon in University Circle.
On Friday, May 16, a large container from The Netherlands arrived at the tower. This was the shipment of our twenty-four bells that spent the winter abroad along with four new bells. Also included was all the new hardware for the carillon as well as the new clavier. A crane lifted the equipment into the tower and the three workers from Royal Eijsbouts started the three week process of installing it all.
Have you been missing our bells as much as we have? There are two other nearby four octave carillons and we've been invited for two Saturday morning carillon crawls to visit these towers and their attached church buildings.
Saturday, April 5. Visit the carillon at The Church of the Saviour in Cleveland Heights. Sheryl Modlin, FMC board member and Church of the Saviour Carillonneur, has invited us to visit this instrument that was installed in 1953-54. It is another carillon with Dutch bells, but by a different foundry than The McGaffin Carillon. Climb into the tower and watch a demonstration of the carillon. Wander the church while the church organist demonstrates the organ.
More information and Reserve Tickets for April 5 Visit to Church of the Saviour
Saturday, May 3. Visit St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Cleveland Heights. David Osburn, FMC board member and St. Paul's Carillonneur has invited us. This instrument was installed in 1928 as an eight bell chime and expanded twice since to its current forty-seven bells. Climb the tower to visit the carillon, wander the church art gallery, hear a demonstration of the church organs.
More information and Reserve Tickets for May 3 Visit to St. Paul's Episcopal Church.
Both crawls begin at 9am with a continental breakfast and conclude with a box lunch.
Please order your tickets now. There will be an additional $5 charge for registrations the morning of the event.
Cost-Each Event
$10 Children ($15 day of event, Under 12 accompanied by an adult)
$25 Adults ($30 day of event)
Contact the FMC Office for more information (216) 535-4411 info@ucbells.org
Despite a shortened program year to start our long-awaited renovation, we did manage to perform over 30 concerts and we estimate that over 6000 people enjoyed those concerts in person or online. Read about it in our 2024 Annual Report.
On August 18, 2024 a concert by George Leggiero, Keiran Cantilina, and Patrick Macoska celebrated the start of the final phase of the carillon’s restoration and renovation. Within days the instrument was disassembled and plans were made for the spring installation of the new framing, bells, and playing mechanism.
Some of the smaller bells on display before they were crated up for their trip back to The Netherlands.
The twenty-four smallest bells are making a trip back to The Netherlands, to the shop where they were cast and tuned in 1968. They are needed to fabricate the new framing, clappers, and mechanism. Before they were packed up, they were on display and people had a rare chance to be close to them and even get to try ringing them.
Redmar Willems, Eelco Eijer, and Frank Reemers, from Royal Eijsbouts, the Dutch firm who cast the original McGaffin Bells in 1968 came to disassemble the carillon and get the tower ready for the spring re-installation of the instrument. After their ten days, the bells and their tools are packed and ready for the trip back to The Netherlands.
Work will begin in mid-August and be completed by next spring
Cleveland, OH— 12 June 2024 — The Friends of the McGaffin Carillon is beginning the final phase of a $661,000 renovation of the landmark Alexander McGaffin Carillon. This project expands the musical capabilities of the instrument and prepares it for a future student guild of carillonists.
The Alexander McGaffin Carillon, dedicated in 1968, is one of only 185 cast-bell carillons in North America. The instrument consists of 47 bronze bells cast in The Netherlands and weighing 15,000 pounds. It is played by a performer high in the tower. Performances are heard throughout the University Circle area of Cleveland. The renovation will add four new bells to expand the musical possibilities and replace the aging mechanism with a world-standard adopted in 2006. New clock chimes and a digital automatic play mechanism will also be installed. The restoration of the three-bell swinging peal was completed in 2018, and a new practice instrument was built and gifted to The Friends in 2022.
The Friends of the McGaffin Carillon was founded in 2015 as an independent 501c3 nonprofit to expand the activities of the carillon into the community and to assist in the instrument’s upkeep. Since its founding, The Friends have been raising the funds for this renovation. Over 235 donors have contributed to the effort.
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George Leggiero, FMC Executive Director
216 535-4411
gleggiero@ucbells.org
The Alexander McGaffin Carillon
11205 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44106-1717
www.ucbells.org
