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Saved by the bells High School South student uses the carillon to promote well being
BY MARCUS COOK
When Gustavo Rangel Almirall heard the reggae-inspired melody of his favorite song played by the chimes of bells, it was love at first sound. The rising senior at High School South happened to be in Princeton on the day that “Walking on the Moon” by The Police was performed on the university’s carillon — a littleknown instrument that’s actually been around for hundreds of years. What he heard that day has led him on a journey not only to learn more about the instrument, but to also create an effort that he calls “Project Carillon” to help spread the word about the instrument. Fascinated by what he heard that day in Princeton, Almirall did a little bit of research and then emailed Princeton University’s carillonneur, Lisa J. Lonie, to learn more about the instrument. “Next thing I knew, without ever being inside a carillon, I was up in the playing room, playing with her a simple song
The High School North 4x100 team that placed 3rd at the Group 3 Championship is pictured above. They are Jahlia Johnson (left), Julia Kolker, Victoria Henry and Bria Davis-Owens.
North girls’ track team is Group III sectional champ BY RICH FISHER
A Central Jersey Group III sectional championship and three sectional gold medal winners. A Meet of Champions medal winner. Two Mercer County Championship gold medal winners. It’s an impressive list, and it
was one heck of a spring season for the West Windsor-Plainsboro North girls track & field team. “The season overall was one this group will remember forever,” said first-year head coach Liz Guarini, who previously coached (and still teaches) at Lawrence High. “We have a
young team, but had great leadership by our seniors Victoria Henry, Jahlia Johnson, Ananya Mogali and Bhavana Thelakkat.” It all started with Henry, who had an epic campaign. It started in the MCT, when she won the 100 meters in 12.41 See TRACK, Page 7
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for all of Princeton to hear,” Almirall says. “Now encapsulated in the instrument, I learned how much culture it has, and how it adds to the soundscape of Princeton.” The Guild of Carillonneurs in North America website describes the carillon as, “a musical instrument composed of at least 23 carillon bells that are arranged in chromatic sequence, so tuned as to produce concordant harmony when many bells are sounded together. It is played from a keyboard that allows expression through variation of touch. The keys are struck with the half-closed hand. In addition, the larger bells are connected to foot pedals.” Almirall, 17, says that the carillon is commonly regarded as the largest musical instrument in the world and is often situated inside churches and ornate towers. Indeed, Princeton’s own carillon is located inside Cleveland Tower, the tallest structure in town. It is one of only four in New Jersey and 170 in the United States. According to the university’s website, the Princeton’s carillon is the fifth largest in the countr y and one of the 10 largest in the world. It has 35 concert-pitch bells, which range in See CARILLON, Page 3
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