VAF mobile carillon

*Location (home base):

   Virginia Arts Festival (VAF)
   Norfolk, Virginia, USA
   LL: N 36.8515, W 76.2852

Site locator map

*Former locations:

   (1952-2014):
     Schulmerich Carillons, Inc.
     South Main Street (PA Hwy 152)
     Sellersville, Pennsylvania, USA
   (1928-1952):
     Ward-Belmont School
     Nashville, Tennessee, USA
     (See also:  NASHVILLE - BU, USA - TN)

Site locator map link will go here.

*Player:

   (various local musicians)

*Contact:

   Virginia Arts Festival
   440 Bank Street
   Norfolk, VA  23510
   T: 757-282-2800
   E: info@vafest.org

*Schedule:

   (various events and locations)

*Remarks:

   In first two locations, the bells were
   in a traditional carillon, with two
   octave manual and one octave pedal.
   In 2014, they were purchased by Verdin,
   along with the electronics division of
   the Schulmerich Company.  (The
   handbell division of the company
   reorganized in Hatfield, PA.)

*Technical data:

   Electric-keyboard carillon of 23 bells
   Pitch of heaviest bell is G# in the middle octave
   Keyboard range:     A#A#  /    NONE  
   Transposition is up 10 semitone(s), i.e., from C to A#
   There are two missing bass semitones
   There is no practice console
   Work was done (as described in Remarks above) in 2016
     by the maker cited in Remarks above
   Prior history:
     In 1928, the complete instrument of 23 bells was installed
       elsewhere by Gillett & Johnston
       Keyboard range was:     C C   /    C C 11
       Transposition was up  8 semitone(s), i.e., from C to G#
   Auxiliary mechanisms: E*    
   Tower details: 
     Height of console:                  * meters above ground
     Height of lowest level of bells:    2 meters above ground
     Height of highest level of bells:   4 meters above ground
     Belfry openness:  99%
   Year of latest technical information source is 2016

The VAF Website doesn't yet mention this instrument (as of July 2016).

A photo of the instrument is part of a slide show; mouse over it to see the buttons at the left and/or right edges.

Where this work lies in the sequence of output of the Gillett & Johnston bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.

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

Index to all tower bell instruments in VA.

   This page was built from the database on  2-Mar-25
   based on textual data last updated on 2025/01/15
   and on technical data last updated on 2016/07/03