Baylor Appoints University Carillonneur

by Dick Veit, School of Music concert and promotions manager, (254) 710-3991
For the past decade, Lynnette Geary has spent hundreds of hours after work and on weekends, practicing and performing as Assistant Carillonneur on Baylor University's majestic 48-bell McLane Carillon.

Now the musician and assistant to the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences has been named Baylor's official University Carillonneur.

Geary succeeds Dr. Herbert Colvin, emeritus professor of music theory, who served as a member of the Baylor music faculty for nearly 50 years and as University Carillonneur since 1988.

As University Carillonneur, Geary's primary instrument will be the McLane Carillon in the tower of Pat Neff Hall. The carillon was a gift to Baylor from the Drayton McLane family and the McLane Co. Inc., of Temple, Texas.

Dedicated on Nov. 4, 1988, the instrument was built by the Paccard Bell Foundry of Annecy, France. The McLane Carillon is among the fewer than 100 carillons on the entire North American continent with a range of four octaves or more. It weighs around 22 tons.

Geary holds both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Baylor - a bachelor of music education degree in instrumental music and band and a master of music in music history and literature. She is a carillonneur member of the Guild of Carillonneurs in North America, earning her carillonneur certificate in 1996, following an examination recital at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Cohasset, Mass. She served as carillonneur at St. Alban's Episcopal Church in Waco from 1980-88.

In addition to the carillon, Geary also performs as a clarinetist and vocalist. For many years, she has been a section leader in the Waco Community Band. She sings as a soloist at Temple Rodef Sholom and as a member of the Chancel Choir at St. Paul's Episcopal Church. She was in the Waco Symphony Chorus for five seasons.