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| The Campanile,
which houses UNI's 47-bell carillon, was dedicated in 1926, in honor of
the university's 50th anniversary.
Anniversary activities are in the planning stage. The idea of such a bell tower arose from a committee appointed by the Alumni Association in 1914, and it united alumni, students, faculty and the community toward a common goal. Ground was broken in November 1924. The opening recital of the Campanile Chimes took place September 19, 1926. The original 15 bells cost $25,000 and ranged in size from 225 to 5,000 pounds. When the chimes struck the hour, bells one, four, six and seven were sounded. They bore inscriptions of "the President, School Children of Iowa, the Faculty, and Students and Alumni"-- specially named so each hour struck could remind hearers of the cooperative purpose of the institution and those associated with it. Robert Byrnes has served as university carillonneur since 1972. He studied carillon with Richard von Grabow at Iowa State University as part of his UNI graduate work. Byrnes has performed carillon recitals throughout the United States and was one of four finalists in the First National Carillon Playing Competition in 1978. He was also one of four Americans to perform at the World Federation of Carillonneurs Congress in Denmark in 1982. Byrnes is a member of the Guild of Carillonneurs in North America. |
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Maintained
by Office
of University Marketing and Public Relations
Last Modified: 08/08/01 |
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