Once again, the skies over Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia, thunders with the pealing of bronze bells as the city celebrates their annual Festival of Bells. The world-class War Memorial Carillon is the center of the festival experience, inviting locals and visitors alike to bask in the charming delights of performances on bells. With programming across two days, from Friday’s Last Post Ceremony to a full day of commemorations, concerts, and recitals on Saturday, the Festival of Bells closes out April with reflections and reverberating joy.
Opened in the 1930s on Kings' Parade, Bathurst’s carillon is the centerpiece of the city and one of only three carillons in Australia – the other two are at Sydney University in Sydney and Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra. A highlight of this year’s festival is the world premiere of a newly-commissioned work by Australian carillonist Dr. Thomas Laue, combining the carillon bells and All Saints’ Cathedral change ringing bells. A cacophony of glorious sound! Performances on bells will be punctuated with appearances by the region’s best adult and youth bands, choirs, and ensembles.
For a full list of programming, including background on the bells and performers, download the official festival program. The National Bell Festival salutes our friends down under and extends our warmest wishes for a brilliant event. Not in Australia? No worries, mate! Tune in to the live stream on YouTube to see and hear all the tintinnabulation.
Cover image: Drone view of the War Memorial Carillon (center right) flanked by the neoclassical Courthouse (left) and the bell tower of All Saints’ Cathedral (right) in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia.
