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Contact:

Phone: 217-544-1751 ext. 1014
Email: recreation@springfieldparks.org

62nd International Carillon Festival June 6th - June 9th

6/5/2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELASE

Date: June 65, 2024

Contact: Carlo van Ulft

Phone: 216-414-1914

THE 62ND INTERNATIONAL CARILLON FESTIVAL FEATURING TWELVE CONCERTS OVER FOUR DAYS THURSDAY, JUNE 6TH – SUNDAY, JUNE 9TH

[Springfield, IL] – The 62nd Annual International Carillon Festival will take place starting this Thursday, June 6th at 6:00 p.m. through Sunday, June 9th at the historic Washington Park here in Springfield. This year’s Festival features concerts over four days with performers from around the world, the United States, and another year with local talent providing welcoming music!

Take in performances by local artists. Including; Springfield Municipal Band, Springfield Saxophone Quartet, and the Trinity Wind Ensemble.

THIS YEAR, there will be pre concert events provided by the Rees Carillon Society and the Carillon Belles which include;

  • Yard games from the Kidzeum
  • Food Trucks

Don’t forget our legendary Fireworks display on Friday, June 7th at Dusk with musical accompaniment on the carillon by Carlo van Ulft.

For more information about the preshow events and a PDF of the Festival program with a full line-up and bios of our guest carillonists, please visit carillon-rees.org.

The Festival is presented by the Springfield Park District – with additional financial and volunteer support from the Rees Carillon Society, the Carillon Belles, and the Washington Park Botanical Garden. The Carillon Festival features the world’s leading Carillonists and is considered among the most important Carillon event of its kind. Concerts are free of charge. Individuals and families are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs. There will be viewing screens scattered throughout the park to observe the performers.

Enjoy the beauty of Washington Park and the adjacent Botanical Garden with the unique accompaniment of Carillon music!

The Thomas Rees Memorial Carillon is the gift of Senator Thomas Rees, publisher of the Illinois State Register from 1881 until his death in 1933.

The 67 cast-bronze bells range in weight from 22 pounds to 7 ½ tons. The Carillon was cast by the 300-year-old bell foundry of Petit & Fristen, Ltd., in Aarle-Rixtel, The Netherlands. All of the bells are played manually from a keyboard located in the Carillonist’s cabin on level 8 of the 12-story tower.

62nd International Carillon Festival Schedule:

Thursday, June 6th

  • 6:00 p.m. Springfield Municipal Band
  • 6:30 p.m. Carlo van Ulft, IL
  • 7:20 p.m. John Wildmann, MD

Friday, June 7th

  • 6:00 p.m. Springfield Saxes
  • 6:30 p.m. Wim Ruitenbeek, The Netherlands
  • 7:20 p.m. Naoko Tsujita, CAN
  • (Dusk) Fireworks

Saturday, June 8th

  • 6:00 p.m. FOURsquared Woodwind Quartet
  • 6:30 p.m. John Widmann, DM
  • 7:20 p.m. Wim Ruitenbeek, The Netherlands

Sunday, June 9th

  • 6:00 p.m. Trinity Wind Ensemble
  • 6:30 p.m. Jim Fackenthal, IL
  • 7:20 p.m. Carlo van Ulft, IL

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For more information on this topic or any other Park District news-related item, please visit our website at www.springfieldparks.org