Our carillon program is led by University Carillonneur Carol Jickling Lens, who started studying the instrument in 1966. Since then, her career has taken her all over the world to places like the Netherlands, England, Ghana, and Libya. Jickling-Lens has been a member of the Guild of Carillonneurs in North America (GCNA) since 1971 and was elected to the Board of Directors in 1996, serving one four-year term.
The Williams Carillon was cast by the Royal Eijsbouts Bell Foundry at Asten, The Netherlands and was dedicated on the University of Denver campus on October 24, 1999. When the university is in session the carillon can usually be heard Monday through Friday from 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. The Summer Carillon Recital Series invites renowned carillonneurs from across the nation to perform on The Williams Carillon. A highlight of the holiday season on campus is the annual Holiday Carillon Recital presented the afternoon of the second Sunday in December.
Audition Requirements
Undergraduate (BM and BA)
- Three contrasting compositions for carillon including a prelude by Matthias Van den Gheyn
- Select others from Dutch (eg. Badings, Franken, Maassen), Flemish (eg. Meulemans, D'hollander, Geysen) or American composers (eg. Johnson, Courter, Barnes)
- Sight reading to be selected at the audition
Graduate (MM and certificate in performance)
- Five contrasting compositions, including a Prelude by Matthias Van de Gehyn
- Select others from Dutch (eg. Badings, Franken, Maassen), Flemish (eg. Meulemans, D'hollander, Geysen) or American composers (eg. Johnson, Courter, Barnes)
- Sight reading to be selected at the audition
