Student carillonneur wins inaugural composition contest

Jacob Hofeling, an undergraduate student in organ performance, has won the inaugural composition contest sponsored by the ASU Carillon Society. Joshua Jandreau, a graduate student in music composition, was runner-up.

Hofeling, who is the Arizona State Credit Union Student Carillonneur, was awarded a $250 prize for his composition for the carillon, “Re-Awakening.”

Jandreau’s composition was titled “Carol-On, My Wayward Son.” Both compositions will be included on an upcoming CD of music performed by University Carillonneurs William Swayze, Kevin Snow and Hofeling.

Contest rules stated that the compositions had to be four to seven minutes long, idiomatic to the carillon, sustain musical interest throughout and add something stylistically new to the carillon repertoire. 

Judges were Swayze, Snow and Jody Rockmaker, associate  professor of composition.

The Maas-Rowe Symphonic Carillon, located on the Lower Level of Old Main, was purchased as a gift to ASU by Associated Students in 1966. It was played a few years, then put in storage for approximately 30 years. It was rediscovered in 2002 and rededicated in 2005 after a fund-raising campaign.

The carillon, with 258 bells, is the largest Maas-Rowe carillon in existence.

For more information, contact Carl Cross, at (480) 965-2113 or carl.cross@asu.edu.