*Location:

   Bok Singing Tower
   Bok Tower Gardens
     (formerly Historic Bok Sanctuary)
     (formerly Mountain Lake Sanctuary)
   Burns Avenue (CR 17A), 1 mi E of US 27A
   Lake Wales, Florida, USA
   LL: N 27.93548, W 81.57751

Site locator map

*Carillonist:

   Geert D'hollander   (C)
   W: 863-734-1208
   E: klokkenist@hotmail.com
      gdhollander/@/boktower.org

   1928-67 Anton Brees  (1897-1967)
   1968-2004 Milford Myhre   (HC)
   1993-2011 William De Turk   (C;d.)
     (as Assistant C., 1993-2004)
   2011-12 (position vacant)

*Contact:

   Anton Brees Carillon Library   (Su)
   Bok Tower Gardens
   1151 Tower Boulevard
   Lake Wales, FL  33853-3412
   T: 863-734-1227   F: 863-676-6770
   E: library@boktower.org

*Schedule:

   Gardens open daily 0800-1800 (-2130 on
   moonlight recital evenings);
   admission fee charged.
   Half-hour recitals daily 1pm & 3pm are
   live Thu-Sun, Oct-May, otherwise
   recorded; also brief recorded play
   every half hour from 0900 to closing.
   Numerous special concerts throughout
   the year, including a week-long
   international carillon festival in
   February.

*Remarks:

   Originally 4 octaves with top 13 bells
   doubled; 5 doubled trebles added
   after inauguration.  All doubles dis-
   connected by 1948, and later used
   in recasting 24 trebles to heavier
   profiles in 1966; 3 of these were
   replaced in 1987 enlargement.  Three
   trebles added in 2000 fitted existing
   spaces in 1987 keyboard; all trebles
   rehung at this time on curved beams
   with new radial transmission.

*Technical data:

   Traditional carillon of 60 bells
   Pitch of heaviest bell is D# in the bass octave
   Keyboard range:     F F   /    F C 31
   Transposition is down 2 semitone(s), i.e., from C to A#
   There is one missing bass semitone
   There is an identical practice console
   The instrument was enlarged in 2000
     with  3 bells made by Taylor       
   Prior history:
     In 1987, the instrument was enlarged to 57 bells
       by Taylor      
       (7 bells were added in and/or remain from that work.)
       Keyboard range was:     F D   /    F C 31
     In 1966, 24 bells were recast or replaced
       with bells made by Taylor      
       (21 bells were added in and/or remain from that work.)
       Keyboard range was:     G C   /    G C 29
       Transposition was down 4 semitone(s), i.e., from C to G#
     In 1929, the instrument was enlarged to 53 bells
       by Taylor      
       (0 bells remain from that work.)
     In 1928, the instrument was begun with 48 bells
       by Taylor      
       (29 bells remain from that work.)
   No auxiliary mechanisms known
   Tower details: 
     Height of console:                 51 meters above ground
     Height of lowest level of bells:   51 meters above ground
     Height of highest level of bells:  (unknown)
     Belfry openness:    %
   Year of latest technical information source is 2002

This is one of only eight carillons which were originally equipped with Taylor's doubled trebles.

The Website of Bok Sanctuary has several good pictures and much information about the carillon and tower.

A tourism article has several fine photos.

News article (Mar'18) on a forthcoming concert, with night photo of the tower and garden.

A family tour page for the area has some interesting photos and comments (at the bottom of the page).

Photo gallery about the Sanctuary, with several tower photos

St.Petersburg Times article (excellent!), with photos

News article (Apr.07) on the carillonneur and the carillon, with multiple photos

Video interview with Geert D'Hollander and tour of Bok Tower

Newspaper article from 1930 on Edward Bok's funeral here.

Waymarking page, with one photo

Where the initial phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Taylor bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.
Where the second phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Taylor bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.
Where the third phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Taylor bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.
Where the fourth phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Taylor bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.
Where the final phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Taylor bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.

Ranking among all North American traditional carillons by weight.
Ranking among all North American traditional carillons by size (number of bells).
Ranking among all North American concert class carillons by year of completion.

Other grand carillons with similar keyboard ranges.

The five bass bells of this carillon are among all great bells in North America.

Index to all traditional carillons in FL.

Index to all tower bell instruments in FL.

   This page was built from the database on 14-Oct-24
   based on textual data last updated on 2024/07/24
   and on technical data last updated on 2002/09/18