Frank Steijns to Play Carillon for Queen

Queen To Attend Premier Mobile Carillon in Weert 

Carillon player Frank Steijns felt miserable when his mobile carillon in 2009 was stolen. Queen Beatrix will be the first one to hear the sound of his new carillon tomorrow.

He is already imagining how Queen Beatrix at the end of her tour through Weert tomorrow will enter the Market at the Martinus church, and is being welcomed by the warm sounds of the carillon. But this time the sound will not come from above, from the carillon up high in the church tower. No, now carillon player Frank Steijns (40) has both feet firmly planted on the ground while playing his mobile carillon.

This instrument will thus be experiencing its premier since its predecessor was stolen from a storage shed in 2009 in Maastricht. It was the instrument with which André Rieu travelled seventy thousand kilometers all over the world during his World tour. (Steins is a violinist in Rieu’s orchestra) After the theft Steins was desperate. A very generous award did not generate any leads. It did cost him lots of money since he also was forced to cancel concerts. The very reason he wanted a new carillon. It is here now and according to Steijns it sounds like a charm. That was made possible through his foundation "Cloche’ Art" which also supports educational projects. And the instruments were manufactured "locally". The frame was manufactured in Nederweert and the wood hails from a carpenter from Maastricht.

Queen Beatrix will be at the premier tomorrow and she will be among the first to hear the sounds of the carillon. It is a great opportunity for Steijns when he, together with the brass bands can produce music and also bring his instrument to the attention of all the Dutch people. "In this manner I try to promote the carillon culture in the region. This carillon player of the Martinus church is the pride of Weert, and is literally considered to be of high cultural standings. With this carillon I am somewhat closer to earth".

This carillon weighs approximately 1600 kilo’s (3520 lbs), but according to Steijns still the smallest one in the world. And it is ingenious: you can customize the carillon as necessary into the space where it needs to be placed. You can compare it to Lego’s which you can place side by side but also on top of each other. It looks like an erector set.

That he has "the honor" to play for the Queen; he considers that to be "very nice". Although it is not the very first time that he has played the carillon in the presence of Her Majesty: that he did earlier in the caves of Valkenburg, together with André Rieu. "We will go all out and play all the bells and whistles".

Article written by Ruud Maas
Thanks to John for this article and the ©Translation of it