The Cook Carillon Tower is one of the most recognizable landmarks on Grand Valley State University’s Allendale Campus. This summer, the uncommon instrument will be featured in a summer concert series.

“The summer carillon series began 15 years ago as a way to let the community at large know about the instrument, and hopefully to draw them into the campus,” said Julianne Vanden Wyngaard, university carillonneur. “We wanted the community to know what a treasure it was in the neighborhood.”

The 10-story tower in the middle of GVSU’s Allendale Campus consists of 48 bells and measures 100 feet tall.

“The carillon was a dream of then-president, Arend Lubbers, who believed we needed a focal point for the campus,” Wyngaard said. “(It’s) a place to meet, a place to tell time, a place for large campus gatherings.”

The Cook Carillon Summer Concert Series, featured Margaret Pan, a carillonneur from Toronto, Canada on July 5.

The series typically consists of around 10 concerts, each one drawing between 50 and 100 guests.

“As university carillonneur, it is my job to develop a carillon culture for the campus by performing, teaching others to play, teaching the greater audience (and) bringing world-class artists to GVSU to perform,” Wyngaard said.

For more information about the Cook Carillon Summer Concert Series, visit www.gvsu.edu/music.