CLEMSON — Usually a carillon concert at Clemson University signals the beginning of fall, but you’ll be hearing bells in the month of July when two international guests give a concert on the bells of Tillman Hall at 7 p.m. July 7.
Elizabeth Vitu, an American who lives in Perpignan in the south of France, and Laurent Pie, an accomplished carillonneur from France, will perform a wide-ranging program that includes Renaissance and dance pieces in addition to more familiar, classical repertoire. They will also perform a combination of solo and duet pieces during this free concert.
Clemson University’s carillonneur, Linda Dzuris, met Vitu through the Guild of Carillonneurs of North America a few years ago, and Dzuris herself performed on the bells of Perpignan last year. Vitu said she was going to be in Charleston for a family reunion and revealed that her grandfather was a Clemson alumnus.
“John Murchison Jackson Jr. was at Clemson before he headed off to France in World War I with the Corps of Engineers,” Vitu said. “My grandfather then worked as a civil engineer in Bennettsville, South Carolina, the rest of his life. He was very proud of his alma mater and spoke to us very often of how happy he was there.”
“She thought it would be neat if she could play a concert at Clemson, giving it that sense of coming full circle, so I jumped at the opportunity for her to play here,” Dzuris said. “We usually don’t have a summer series, but this happened to be Fourth of July week and people will be traveling into town, so I thought it would be a nice change of pace.”
The carillon that Vitu usually uses is housed in the historic, medieval Cathédrale Saint Jean-Baptiste de Perpignan. During World War II, most carillon bells were melted for munitions, but the bells of Jean-Baptiste were some of the only ones in France to remain intact.
Dzuris is excited to bring an excellent international artist to campus who also has ties to Clemson. Bring a picnic and enjoy this special summer concert.
