DENVER — Joey Brink starts walking a bit faster when he hears the hour bells at the top of the tower at the Ritchie Center on the University of Denver (DU) campus. He knows that he's supposed to be sitting in his office for another day of work.
He has only 93 spiral stairs to get there. No elevator here. Joey's office sits above it all. He's a master carillon player, and that's where that most unique instrument stands.
If you've never seen one, it's a cross between a piano with keys, foot pedals like an organ, connected with strings and pulleys that lead to 65 bells, right above him, in the belfrey.
"There are about 600 carillons around the world and maybe a handful of players at each instrument, so it is a rather small group," Joey said.
Today, as he played holiday tunes, all his music evaporated around the campus with no one here to listen. It’s winter break for the students, but Joey is rehearsing for their holiday carillon recital, where a big audience will filter in around the tower.
"It is a little gathering around the radio and listening to live music," Joey said.
The audience can't see him play. Imagine going to a concert and not seeing the performer!
He does call himself the campus DJ because students have to listen to him whether they want to or not.
But who wouldn’t want to hear his beautiful music?
The 27th annual Holiday Carillon Recital is free to attend each year. It was held on Sunday at 3 p.m. at the Ritchie Center on the DU campus.
