The campanile bells catch many ears with their delightful sounds, but who is the face behind the music?

Savannah Meier | @SavannahMeierTV

Elizabeth Berghout, carillonist and associate professor of music at KU, is the face – hands – and brains behind the iconic bells. From a young age Berghout has had a passion for music. 

“I’ve always been interested in music. My mom was a piano teacher. And so I grew up around music,” Berghout said. “She said when I was around two, I could play about 50 songs on the piano.”

Berghout started her journey on the campus bells in 1996 when she attended a concert after the campanile and the carillon were rededicated. 

“I attended a concert by Albert Gerkin, and just loved the sounds of the bells,” Berghout said.  “And after the concert he gave a tour. And so I climbed the stairs and saw how he played and was fascinated with it, and decided I needed to start taking lessons.” 

Those lessons then got her an application and future job as the carillonist that we hear today. 

Her background and experience playing the piano had prepared her for the bells, as the bells are played through a keyboard with her hands and feet (similar to the layout of a pipe organ.) 

“The keyboard is about six feet wide, and the keys look like broom handles,” Berhout said. “We play them with the sides of our fist. So we bounce off the keys and the the lower half off the bells we can play with our feet. so both hands and feet really get moving.” 

Berghout is carrying on the 70 year tradition of “Concerts at the Campanile.” Every Sunday at 5 p.m., herself or her students will play different tunes and songs we all know and love on the bells for free.