Class of 1928 Carillon

*Location:

   Jane K. Sather Tower
   University of California at Berkeley
   University Drive at South Hall Road
   Berkeley, California, USA
   LL: N 37.87205, W 122.25783

Site locator map

*Carillonist:

   Simone Browne,   (C)
     Interim University Carillonist
   Department of Music
   104 Morrison Hall, #1200
   University of California at Berkeley
   Berkeley, CA  94720-1200
   W: 510-642-8454
   E: UCBells@Berkeley.edu
   - and -
   David R. Hunsberger,   (C)
     Assistant Carillonist
   6671 Girvin Drive
   Oakland, CA  94611-1629
   E: davehunsberger@yahoo.com
   - and -
   John M. Agraz,   (C)
     Assistant Carillonist
   6201 Ross Street
   Oakland, CA  94618-1909
   H: 510-658-6242
   E: JohnAgraz@att.net
   - and -
   Wesley Arai,   (C)
     Associate Carillonist
   E: WAraiWArai@gmail.com
   - and -
   Brunston Poon,   (C)
     Assistant Carillonist
   E: Brunston@brunston.net

   19??-79 John Noyes
   1923-82 Margaret Murdoch
   19??-82 Frank Pilling
   1979 ded. Margo Halsted & James Welch
   1982-97 Ronald M. Barnes (1927-97),
             University Carillonist
   1997-98 Jeff Davis   (Acting)
   1998-99 Geert D'Hollander
   1999-2000 David Hunsberger   (Acting)
   2000-2024 Jeff Davis   (C)

*Contact:

   Berkeley Carillon Institute   (Su)
   104 Morrison Hall, #1200
   University of California at Berkeley
   Berkeley, CA  94720-1200
   T: 510-642-8454   F: 510-642-8480
   E: ucbells@berkeley.edu

*Schedule:

   During term: 0750-0800, 1200-1210,
   1800-1810 M-F; 1200 & 1800 Saturday;
   1400-1445 Sunday; special occasions.
   Hour strike 0800-2200.

*Remarks:

   Added semitones in original chime are
   sharp 4th & flat 7th; clavier was a
   hybrid, with two rows of levers.
   13th bell, installed in 1926 along with
   a clock (both from 1899 in Bacon Hall)
   was likely of American manufacture and
   removed 1979; maybe not part of chime.
   Now 3 practice instruments--one is
   identical to the playing console (by
   Richard Strauss, 1984), and the others
   are nearly so.  The original Paccard
   keyboard has been sold, destination
   not known.

*Technical data:

   Traditional carillon of 61 bells
   Pitch of heaviest bell is G  in the bass octave
   Keyboard range:     G G   /    G C 30
   Transposition is nil (concert pitch)
   There are no missing bass semitones
   There is an identical practice console
   The instrument was enlarged in 1983
     with bells made by Paccard          
   Prior history:
     In 1979, the instrument was enlarged to 48 bells
       by Paccard         
       Pitch of heaviest bell was C  in the middle octave
       Keyboard range was:     C C   /    ----  
       There was one missing bass semitone
     In 1926, the instrument was enlarged to 13 bells
       by an unknown maker
       (0 bells remain from that work.)
       Keyboard range was:     ----  /    NONE  
     In 1917, the instrument was begun with 12 bells
       by Taylor          
       Keyboard range was:     C F   /    NONE  
       Transposition was nil (concert pitch)
       There were two added semitones
   Auxiliary mechanisms: H     
   Tower details not available
   Year of latest technical information source is 1993

The University Website has several pages about this carillon, its history, players and playing schedule, with a tower photo.

News & history article (Nov'17), celebrating the centennial of the first 12 bells; with video (2:46).

Some Sather Tower photos.

Conditions and schedule for visitor access to the tower.

Some unusual photographs of the tower were produced by Kite Aerial Photography.  Explore that Website to find them.

Waymarking page

Where the initial phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Taylor bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.
Where the second phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Paccard bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.
Where the final phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Paccard bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.

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

Other grand carillons with similar keyboard ranges.

The bass and second bells of this carillon are among all great bells in North America.

Index to all traditional carillons in CA.

Index to all tower bell instruments in CA.

   This page was built from the database on 10-Mar-26
   based on textual data last updated on 2026/03/06
   and on technical data last updated on 2025/11/15