The Crouse College chimes first rang on June 3, 1889, at 6 p.m. More than a century later, they will ring again, the exact same day and time.

To celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Crouse College bell tower, the Chimesmasters, a student group in charge of ringing the Crouse bells, will play a three-hour concert Tuesday, June 3, beginning at 6 p.m.

The Syracuse community is invited to sit on the lawns outside of Crouse College and listen to the concert, said Patrick Jones, director of the Setnor School of Music.

“It’s a ‘concert in the park’ kind of event,” Jones said. “It’s going to be such a beautiful June evening, and people can bring their blankets and chairs and enjoy the music.”

Recognized for its architecture and picturesque setting, Crouse College – and its bell tower – have become university landmarks.

Jones said the bell tower is an asset to the university, saying it “provides a real flavor” to the campus.

“What I love in particular is when you’re just walking across the quad and you hear the chimes, and that’s when you really feel like you’re on a college campus,” he said.

The tower houses have ten bells manufactured by the Clinton H. Meneely Bell Company. John Crouse, who funded the construction of the college, donated the first nine bells in 1889. A tenth bell was added in 1937 and allowed for a greater variety in the songs the chimes can play, Head Chimesmaster Alex Ganes said.

Ganes, a senior music composition major, added for 50 years, brothers of the Delta Kappa Epsilon rang the bells until the fraternity was temporarily removed from campus. Today, any student is welcome to audition for the Chimesmasters, but the group is generally comprised of music students.

To play the chimes, the Chimesmasters must climb an 80-foot ladder to push the levers that sound the bells. They are responsible for playing the chimes for 15 minutes at three designated times during the day – 8:00 a.m., 11:45 a.m. and 6 p.m. – and at special occasions such as weddings.

Inside the bell tower is a large binder containing sheet music with arrangements Chimesmasters have accumulated over the years, and the current members are expected to add their own arrangements to the collection.

“We play a general mix of pop and classical music – basically any music we enjoy and that the community will like,” Ganes said. He named examples such as the Super Mario Bros theme song, “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “Stay the Night” by Zedd.

The group is always open to adding new music and has prepared a large repertoire for the concert, Ganes said. Playing the concert will be just like playing the chimes the way they always do on the weekdays, and four of the eight Chimesmasters will take turns ringing the bells for a total of three hours.

“The presence of the bell tower and its music has been a tradition throughout the [past] 125 years,” Ganes said. “It is the main way that the music school is able to bring music from Crouse to the rest of the campus.”

Junior music performance major and Chimesmaster Nick Abelgore said that, especially as of this past year, the Chimesmasters are now a private, selective organization. They are advised to maintain a low profile about their activities to avoid revealing information about members.

“We like to keep our operations as secretive as possible and keep the mystery alive of what is really going on up in the tower,” Abelgore said in an email. “Access to the top is reserved only for members.”

Abelgore, who studied abroad in Strasbourg, France this past semester, added he is excited that one of the first things he will do when he returns to campus is participate in the concert.

Said Abelgore: “The feeling you get from ringing the bells and being up in the tower is like no other.”

Published on May 30, 2014 at 11:24 pm

Contact Clare: clramire@syr.edu