The organ and carillon studios were highly visible at the southeast regional convention of the American Guild of Organists (AGO) this June in Charlotte, North Carolina. Matt Gender (BM '13) competed in the semi-final round of the National Competition on Improvisation. Gender advanced to the finals and will compete at the AGO’s National Convention in Houston in June 2016. During carillon recitals on the closing day of the convention, Dr. Linda Dzuris of Clemson University performed two compositions by UF carillonneurs: “Spiraculum Vitae” by Mitchell Stecker (BM '15) and “Let Freedom Ring” by Lee Cobb (MM '05). In addition, current graduate student Scott Ziegler served as the social media coordinator for the regional Facebook page. Ziegler has also been appointed dean of the Southeast Regional Chapter for Young Organists, a virtual chapter of the AGO.
Two students from the UF carillon studio, Melissa Likamwa and Mindy Wang, attended the annual Congress of the Guild of Carillonneurs in North America this summer at Missouri State University. In addition to assisting with the music publications committee, which was chaired by Dr. Laura Ellis, the carillonneurs performed in the closing concert.
Dr. Ellis presented “The Carillon Studio at the University of Florida: Perspectives on Keeping an Instrument Relevant at a Large Academic Institution” for the Carillon Forum and Festival at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. The festival celebrated the 45th anniversary of the van Bergen carillon at the seminary.
