Carillonneur Extraordinaire Plays South College Bells

George Matthew Jr., who earned a Certificate of Advanced Study in ethnomusicology from Wesleyan in 1980, returned to campus on June 11 to play Wesleyan’s 24-bell carillon atop of South College.

“Now I’ve played all 11 carillons in Connecticut,” he said.

Matthew, who lives in Brandon, Vermont, currently plays carillon at Middlebury College and is an organist at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Middlebury, Vermont. He also worked as a carillonneur at the First Presbyterian Church in Stamford, Connecticut, for 30 years.

Over the years, Matthew has performed on 60 of the 180 carillons in the nation, 104 carillons in Europe and was the first American to play a carillon in Russia.

Carillonneur Peter Frenzel, professor of German studies, emeritus, invited Matthew to perform over the noon hour.

Click here to watch the video.

“I haven’t been back on campus in 20 years,” Matthew said. “I’m thankful Peter invited me back.”

(Photos by Dena Matthews. Video by Laurie Kenney.)