Berkeley Carillon Guild

We are the carillon students of Jeff Davis, University Carillonist at UC Berkeley. In other words, we ring the bells in Sather Tower!

How often do the carillonists play? Weekdays: 7:50 am, 12 pm, 6 pm
Saturdays: 12 pm, 6 pm
Sundays: 2 pm (hour-long recital)

This organization enables us to purchase music, organize special carillon concerts in Berkeley, and tour and perform at other carillons. We focus on writing and performing high-quality music for the instrument. We hope to raise general awareness about carillon through a student-run class (called a "DeCal") on the bells.

11/03/2017

Tower’s 12 oldest bells, first played a century ago, to be celebrated The first dozen bells installed in the Campanile were played 100 years ago this week.

As white supremacists descend on campus, the UF bell tower played the 'Black National Anthem'

10/20/2017

https://www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2017/10/19/as-white-supremacists-descend-on-campus-the-uf-bell-tower-played-the-black-national-anthem

As white supremacists descend on campus, the UF bell tower played the 'Black National Anthem' In a gospel-tinged clapback at white supremacists descending on the University of Florida campus Thursday for Richard Spencer's speech, the school's carillon bell tower played...

08/11/2017

Look at these beautiful bells! If you've ever wanted to learn to play them, now is your chance - the Berkeley Carillon Guild is once again offering its 1-unit DeCal course for Fall 2017, "Learn to Play the Sather Tower Bells: A Carillon Study", and APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN HERE: https://decal.berkeley.edu/courses/4153 . Applications will be due by September 2nd, 2017.

You'll get to learn about the basic techniques, mechanics, and history of the Campanile's grand Class of 1928 Carillon, while finishing off your semester by performing your favorite piece(s) on the bells!

PC: Chase Garcia

Photos from Berkeley Carillon Guild's post

05/07/2017

Just a week ago today, our Spring 2017 DeCal class spent the gorgeous evening performing an entire hour of beautiful music, rounding out the end of classes.

Through their and their mentors' hard work, these diligent students brought themselves from bells beginners to budding carillon connoisseurs in just one semester, and the members of BCG couldn't be happier with the result!

For now, the bells will be silent for finals week, but keep an eye out for opportunities to join the DeCal in Fall 2018, and check out bells.berkeley.edu to learn even more about us and the art of carillon!

(picture creds to our student, Chase Garcia!)

Rare peregrine falcons claim Campanile as temporary home | The Daily Californian

04/14/2017

A beautiful addition to the music that otherwise comes from Sather Tower!

Rare peregrine falcons claim Campanile as temporary home | The Daily Californian At UC Berkeley, there are two new subjects for a quick game of “I spy” — a pair of rare peregrine falcons perched atop the Campanile.

03/12/2017

Ever wanted to control what you hear played on the Sather Tower bells? TODAY (Sunday, 3/12) YOU CAN!

Come join us ONLINE this evening, 6:00 - 6:30 pm, at http://twitch.tv/marwahaha for a "Twitch Plays Carillon" session, where some members and alumni of the Berkeley Carillon Guild will be sitting at the instrument, almost 300 feet in the air, ready to play music based on what notes and suggestions YOU enter into the twitch livestream chat.

Share this with your friends, and tune in for a time of fun, eclectic, participatory music-making!

01/19/2017

It's that time of year again! The Berkeley Carillon Guild will be teaching its 1-unit DeCal Course, "Learn to Play the Sather Tower Bells: A Carillon Study" this Spring, and applications are now due in ONLY TEN DAYS!

Learn about the basic techniques, mechanics, and history of the carillon instrument, and finish off your semester performing a piece on the bells!

FOR MORE DETAILS AND TO APPLY, head over to decal.berkeley.edu/courses/78 ! Message this page, or e-mail [email protected] for any questions or comments!