A Liturgy of Advent Lessons & Carols took place on Sunday, December 15. Dr. Michael Accurso directed the Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral Choir, and Bishop Luis Rafael Zarama presided over the evening of Scripture and song.
Seven scripture lessons were read, each followed by a carol and a prayer that reflected the lesson’s message.
Afterwards, during a reception on the piazza, the 50-bell carillon rang out seasonal carols and other advent selections.
The bells can be played in three ways: through a five-octave keyboard that resembles a piano; through pre-programmed automation and by a carillonneur. The keyboard is located in the bell tower on the floor below the bells is a small room where the organ-like instrument is mechanically connected to the bells.
Carillonneur and composer Tom Gurin, 24, operated the instrument, striking his fists on the keys hard enough for the music to be heard miles away.
"I always feel a sense of responsibility when performing, said Gurin. "Carillons have a special ability to bring people together, to create a sense of group identity. Whether part of a religious congregation, a neighborhood, or both, the carillon often becomes the voice of a community, and I take seriously the privilege of expressing myself through it."
He played 11 pieces on the carillon including one piece he composed:
- Carol of the Bells
- What Child Is This?
- O Come, O Come Emmanuel
- God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
- We Three Kings
- It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
- Silent Night
- "Things with Feathers" (composed for carillon by Tom Gurin)
- "Gaudí's Chimneys" (composed for carillon by John Courter)
- "Polovtsian Dances" (from an opera by Alexander Borodin)
- "Campanella" (composed for carillon by Géo Clément)
Gurin recently graduated from Yale University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music, and from the Royal Carillon School “Jef Denyn” in Mechelen, Belgium. He has played over 50 carillons in nine countries all over the world.
"I always feel a sense of responsibility when performing. Carillons have a special ability to bring people together, to create a sense of group identity. Whether part of a religious congregation, a neighborhood, or both, the carillon often becomes the voice of a community, and I take seriously the privilege of expressing myself through it."
Watch Gurin play “Carol of the Bells”
In the mood for more holiday music?
Listen to Michael Accurso’s personal Christmas playlist.