World premieres happen very seldom around the University of Florida, and even less often in my own life. But I am really excited about a new work to be heard for the first time this Saturday, February 15th, beginning at 6:00 pm at the UF Century Tower, as part of the inaugural season of the 2020 Florida Carillon Festival. The theme for February is love (organized around St. Valentine’s Day), so all of the music follows this idea. 💏

My new work is a carillon transcription for cast-bell carillon of the Prelude to Act One of Richard Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde, which contains the “Tristan chord” – the most famous chord in Western musical history. Wagner’s opera is one of the most complete musical representations of love’s human facets. It has amazed music theorists and listeners alike since 1858 when the work was completed. The performer on Saturday evening will be the eminent Dutch carillonneur Roy Kroezen*, recently appointed as Carillonneur of the Centralia Carillon in Centralia, Illinois. You are invited — and will find generous seating areas, including chairs, on the north side of the tower.

*Roy Kroezenis originally from The Netherlands, where he spent 22 years as a musician and organist. He studied carillon at the Netherlands Carillon School in Amersfoort,as well in Belgium and holds a masters degree in carillon, organ and choir conducting. Kroezen was appointed carillonneur of the Centralia Carillon(Illinois) in 2016. He is also organist at the Trinity Episcopal Church in Mount Vernon, Illinois, and the Fox Theater in St. Louis, Missouri.