POST OF CARILLONIST

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 67, 30 December 1946, Page 8

POST OF CARILLONIST

NATIONAL WAR MEMORIAL

TRAINING RETURNED SERVICEMEN

The position of carillonist at the National War Memorial Carillon, Wellington, which has been vacant, since 1936, is to be filled by a New Zealand returned serviceman of the recent war who will first proceed overseas on a special training bursary.

In making a joint announcement to this effect the Rehabilitation Board, which is granting the bursary, and the Board of Trustees of the National Art Gallery and Dominion Museum, in which the carillon is vested, state that the successful applicant for the position, which is being advertised, will have to be a qualified organist or pianist and have had long service with the forces overseas. The age of the applicant will also be taken into consideration.

On his'return from his studies, which should probably take from 18 months to two years, he-will, on qualifying, be required to take up his appointment as carillonist at Wellington for a period of three years, subject to renewal. The salary will be £4OO a year, which will be for part-time only. Part-of his duties will be to train at Wellington approved candidates for carillon playing from any part of the Dominion.

Although enquiries are now being made as to where the successful trainee should be sent, the offices of the Rehabilitation Department are receiving applications for the position until January 20 next. As far as can be ascertained the most likely destination, since it is the only school of its kind in the world, is the Mechlin Carillon School, in Belgium. That is where the previous Wellington carillonist, the late Miss Gladys Watkins, received her tuition under the late Chevalier Jef Denyn, who was considered the world’s master carillonist.

Authorities who have previously been contacted regarding the need for a carillonist at Wellington include M. Kamiel Lefevre, president of the North American Guild of Carillonneurs and cailllonneur to the Rockfeller Memorial Carillon, Park Avenue, New York. Another is Mr Percival Price, carillonneur to the University of Michigan School of Music, Ann Arbor. Both pointed out the difficulty of obtaining a qualified carillonist at the present time. It is estimated that there are far short of 100 qualified carillonists throughout the world. / The National War Memorial Carillon at Wellington, the tower of which rises 253 ft. above mean sea level, was dedicated on Anzac Day, 1932, to the memory of the New Zealanders who fell in the First Great War, and in honour of those who served and suffered. It marked the first stage in the erection of the national group of buildings on the Mount Cook site—the National War Memorial, the National Art Gallery and the Dominion Museum. The two latter projects were accomplished by August 1936, leaying the third stage, the erection of a Hall of Memories, still to be completed. Mr Clifford Ball, England’s leading carillonist, and Miss Watkins inaugurated the carillon, which comprises 49 bells ranging in weight from nine pounds to almost five tons. Provision has been made in the original construction for the addition of four larger bells, ranging from almost six tons to ten tons. When these have been added the New Zealand carillon will be among the most extensive in range in the world. As it is it ranks among the world’s best. Mr John Randal, organist of St. Peter’s Church, Wellington, has been acting as- operator of the carillon since the position of carillonist became vacant.