Muelder Summer Carillon Concert Series

Michigan State University’s weekly Summer Carillon Concert Series, beginning tonight, will feature the top four competitors from the 2024 Queen Fabiola International Carillon Competition, plus “one of carillon’s great seasoned performers” and “one of its newest rising stars,” according to the series program.

A carillon is a set of bells that are arranged in a chromatic series and played with a keyboard. The instrument was developed in Europe during the 15^th and 16^th centuries and is relatively rare, with fewer than 200 in the United States. However, the series program notes that both interest in the instrument and the number of instruments in existence are “on the rise.”

“People enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of an outdoor recital, and you can’t get much better than the scenery MSU has to offer,” university carillonist Jon Lehrer said. “All are welcome to attend and even bring along a picnic and spread out a blanket while they listen. It’s a great opportunity for children to come to a recital, too, because they don’t have to sit and be quiet all the time.”

Performers include Annie Gao (July 2), a laureate of the Queen Fabiola competition who was featured in church music magazine The Diapason’s 2025 20 Under 30 list; Joseph Min (July 9), winner of the Queen Fabiola competition and a regular performer across the U.S. and Europe; Trevor Workman (July 16), carillonneur of the historic Bournville Carillon in Birmingham, England, since 1965 and president of the Carillon Society of Britain and Ireland; Claire Janezic (July 23), a laureate of the Queen Fabiola competition who performs internationally as a soloist and as part of the carillon duo Fellowship of the Ring; Rowan Shih (July 30), a rising senior at the University of Chicago and member of the UChicago Guild of Carillonists; and Anne Lu (Aug. 6), a laureate of the Queen Fabiola competition and freelance carillonneur based in New York.

After each recital, the tower will be open for tours and carillon demonstrations. For more information, visit music.msu.edu/events.