Hans Hielscher, the brilliant carillonneur and organist from Wiesbaden, Germany, visits Middlebury College in midsummer to perform in two concerts at Mead Memorial Chapel: a carillon concert on Friday, July 29 at 7:00 PM (the “peals”), and an organ recital on Saturday, July 30 at 7:30 PM (the “pipes”).

Director of Music at the Markkirche, and Municipal Organist/ Carillonneur at the Concert Hall (Wiesbaden), Dr. Hielscher has played more than 2,800 concerts during 36 tours in 39 U.S. states and 26 countries worldwide. He is also a renowned author, lecturer, recording artist, and composer. In 1985, he was honored by the French government in Paris with the “Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres” for his worldwide promotion of French music.

Dr. Hielscher’s carillon performance is part of the 26^th annual Middlebury College Carillon Series, which brings musicians from around the world to perform in the soaring tower of Mead Chapel every summer. His organ concert is being billed as a “Carillon Series Extra.”

Both events are free and open to the public. However, listeners at the organ recital may offer a free-will donation to support the concert.

For information, contact the Mahaney Center for the Arts at cfa@middlebury.edu or 802.443.3168. See the press release online at http://www.middlebury.edu/arts/news/node/286300

The beautiful sounds of ringing bells will fill the air again this summer, as the 26th annual Middlebury College Carillon Series treats audiences to free performances on Friday evenings at 7 p.m. in and around Mead Memorial Chapel. Each year, musicians from around the world come to Middlebury to perform in the Chapel’s soaring tower high above the College campus.

Middlebury College Organist and Professor Emeritus of Music Emory Fanning organizes the 2011 series. “It features a particularly fine group of musicians, and the weather will be glorious for each one!” Fellow organist and carillonneur George Matthew Jr. notes that “among our performers is Fritz Reynaert, one of the best carillonneurs in the Netherlands, and Stefano Colletti, who at the age of 28 was appointed head of the French carillon school (he’s 38 now).”

The 2011 Carillon Series lineup includes:

• Fritz Reynaert, Carillonneur of Enkhuizen and Hoorn, Netherlands, on Friday, July 1, at 7 p.m.
• Gordon Slater, Canadian Dominion Carillonneur Emeritus, on Friday, July 8, at 7 p.m.
• Stefano Colletti, Director of the French National Carillon School in Douai, France, on Friday, July 15, at 7 p.m.
• Elena Sadina and Sergei Gratchev of the Belgian National Carillon School and Middlebury College’s Russian School, on Friday, July 22, at 7 p.m.
• Hans Uwe Hielscher, Organist and Carillonneur of the Marktkirche in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Friday, July 29, at 7 p.m.
• George Matthew Jr., Carillonneur at Middlebury College and Norwich University, Friday, August 5, and Friday, August 12, both at 7 p.m. (The August 12 concert precedes the Middlebury College Language School’s Commencement ceremonies.)

All of the concerts are free and open to the public, and can be enjoyed inside Mead Chapel or on the surrounding lawns.

New for 2011, the series also includes two free “Series Extra” performances featuring organ music inside historic Mead Chapel. George Matthew, Director of Music, Burlington Methodist Church performs a recital of Russian organ music on Monday, July 11, at 7:30 p.m. Hans Uwe Hielscher performs on Saturday, July 30, at 7:30 p.m.

Read about the Carillon Series online here: http://www.middlebury.edu/arts/news/node/278553

For further information, contact the Mahaney Center for the Arts at 802-443-3168 or www.middlebury.edu/arts. See a full schedule of campus events at www.middlebury.edu/events.