An organ virtuoso

Culver Academy instructor to give recital Sunday

HOMETOWN

By IDA CHIPMAN
Tribune Correspondent

CULVER -- You can see your face in the back of John Gouwens' polyester trousers. They are that shiny.

"They get that way from my pivoting and sliding across the carillon bench," he pointed out.

"These kind of pants slide easily and last forever. And I have yet to go flying off the end into the audience."

Gouwens will give an organ recital at 7:30 p.m. Sunday in the Culver Memorial Chapel on the campus of the Culver Academy. The public is invited to the free concert.

Gouwens, 45, has been the organist of the Culver Academy since 1980. It is the only job he has ever had.

A graduate of North Side High School in Fort Wayne, he continued his musical studies at Indiana University in Bloomington and earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan in 1979 and his master's from the University of Kansas in 1981.

He was first an assistant instructor, then an associate instructor in 1987, attaining full senior instructor status in fine arts in 1995.

He teaches a number of piano and keyboard students and is the choir director, organist and carillonneur at the Academy.

Which instrument does he prefer?

"It is almost a seasonal thing," he said, "at this time of year, I love the bells most of all."

The 51-bell carillon in the tower of the Culver Memorial Chapel on the shore of Lake Maxinkuckee and their carillonneur are acknowledged as among the best in North America.

Culver's carillon, made possible by a gift from a Culver graduate, was built in Croydon, England, in 1950 by the Gillett & Johnston Co. It is the last North American unit installed by that firm and cost $90,000. Replacement value today is estimated at more than $1 million.

The coordination of hands and feet is extremely important when playing the bells. They range in weight from 11 1/2 pounds to the great Bourbon B bell that weighs 6,450 pounds. The clappers in the larger bells can weigh as much as 400 pounds.

The pressure applied for the bells differs.

"That big baby," Gouwens said, "requires a lot of strength."

Experts have said that the Culver carillon bells are distanced perfectly from one another, thereby, causing little, if any, unwanted vibration.

Gouwens knows all about carillons. He plays it, teaches it and has written a method book for teaching the art of playing the carillon.

"There has never been an American book before," he said. It has just been published by the Guild of Carillonneurs.

He not only teaches at the Academy, but is also an instructor at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind.

"It is a killer commute," Gouwens said, "but I am enjoying teaching and performing once a week at Ball State on their new carillon."

Gouwens enjoys being home with his wife, Elaine, and their animals: two dogs, seven cats, two parrots and several tanks of fish.

The son of a Presbyterian minister, Gouwens became interested in the organ when, at the age of 2, he would watch and listen in his father's church to the organist practicing.

Now, Gouwens is the composer of more than 20 pieces written especially for the carillon as well as many compositions for the organ and several for the choir. He has earned numerous accolades for his music, including first prize in 1993 from the Royal Carillon School in Belgium.

An original Gouwens composition for choir also won first place in Fort Wayne for their bicentennial celebration a number of years ago.

"Entries from all over the United States and Europe were judged," he laughed, "and the judges were very surprised at the outcome when a Fort Wayne native won first."

A dedicated and talented musician, Gouwens has presented many recitals on both instruments in the United States, Canada and Europe. He is planning to tour Denmark and the Netherlands in 2005.

"I've been fortunate to have played a significant number of the outstanding carillons of the world," he said. He has made five European concert tours.

"I enjoy going to the Netherlands especially," he said, "they have the largest (180) concentration of carillons in the world."

The spring organ recital Sunday will feature an additional treat.

A reception featuring homemade (by Gouwens himself) cinnamon finger cookies, seven-layer cookies, a new Greek recipe dessert and butterscotch bon bons together with a raspberry sherbet punch will be served to guests.