Prelude for Carillon - William De Turk Ragtime Bells - William De Turk Simple Gifts (Shaker Tune) - William De Turk Blues for Bells - William De Turk

Carillon concerts can be heard everyday at 1 & 3 p.m.

A carillon is a musical instrument consisting of at least two octaves of carillon bells arranged in chromatic series and played from a keyboard permitting control of expression through variation of touch.

Its keyboard, sometimes called a clavier, is made of long, thin batons, which are depressed with one’s closed fist. It also has pedals for playing some of the bells.

Carillon bells have a cup shape and are cast in bronze. They are hung stationary and bolted to steel or wooden beams; only the clappers move. The clappers are connected by mechanical linkages to the keys of the keyboard. The carillon at Bok Tower Gardens consists of 60 bells ranging in weight from 16 pounds to nearly 12 tons.

There are four carillons in Florida, nearly 200 in North America and about 400 in Europe.

There have only been three carillonneurs at Bok Tower Gardens. The first carillonneur was Anton Brees, serving from 1928 until 1967. Milford Myhre was the second carillonneur, serving from 1968 to 2004. William De Turk is the third carillonneur, appointed in July 2004.