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The Daily OrangeRing barers
The Hill is alive with the sound of music from Crouse College Chimesmasters
By Talie Tebbi
Posted: 10/7/08, 12:35 AM EST Section: Feature
"I think it's a great tradition," said Setnor School of Music Director Bradley Ethington. "It's a part of SU that is recognized by alumni from all different periods."
The chimes playing were originally a service the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity performed for the school. After a few years, however, the practice transferred to the music fraternities and then to the voluntary student group, Chimesmasters.
Since then, many students have participated in the tradition, including alumnus Dick Clark '51, said Kelley.
Ringers add their own selections to a book of tunes that stays in the bell tower from year to year, and generation to generation. Since the chimes can only play 10 notes, the options are limited.
"Someone had the fantastic idea of arranging the complete works of the Beatles on the chimes," Valenti said, "But the complete works of the Beatles can't be played on the chimes."
That someone was music education graduate student Amanda Tafel's mother, who was a "ringer" back in 1970.
"It's just something that - no matter how bad your day is - you can look up and smile," she said.
But not everyone is exactly delighted.
Mark Jordan-Poinsette is in his third year at Syracuse Law. One of his classes is held next door to Crouse College in MacNaughton Hall, just a few yards from the bell tower. When the chimes play, sometimes he and is fellow classmates can't hear what the professor is saying.
"The general noise around our area is bad enough," he said, "the bells aren't helping."
Jordan-Poinsette isn't sure how to fix the problem, but he thinks things will get better when winter comes around. At least then the classroom windows will be shut.
"It'll be cold soon enough," he said.
The school's solution many years ago was to play the chimes between classes, and the group has tried to make sure they only ring between classes. The scheduled times - 8:15 a.m., 11:45 a.m. and 5:45 p.m. - are meant to coincide with breaks between classes, but they don't anymore.
Still, members of the SU community appreciate the music and the tradition.
"I feel like it might bring some joy into someone's day when they hear bingo was his name-o walking across the Quad," Valenti said. "And I leave out all the claps."
nstebbi@syr.edu
The chimes playing were originally a service the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity performed for the school. After a few years, however, the practice transferred to the music fraternities and then to the voluntary student group, Chimesmasters.
Since then, many students have participated in the tradition, including alumnus Dick Clark '51, said Kelley.
Ringers add their own selections to a book of tunes that stays in the bell tower from year to year, and generation to generation. Since the chimes can only play 10 notes, the options are limited.
"Someone had the fantastic idea of arranging the complete works of the Beatles on the chimes," Valenti said, "But the complete works of the Beatles can't be played on the chimes."
That someone was music education graduate student Amanda Tafel's mother, who was a "ringer" back in 1970.
"It's just something that - no matter how bad your day is - you can look up and smile," she said.
But not everyone is exactly delighted.
Mark Jordan-Poinsette is in his third year at Syracuse Law. One of his classes is held next door to Crouse College in MacNaughton Hall, just a few yards from the bell tower. When the chimes play, sometimes he and is fellow classmates can't hear what the professor is saying.
"The general noise around our area is bad enough," he said, "the bells aren't helping."
Jordan-Poinsette isn't sure how to fix the problem, but he thinks things will get better when winter comes around. At least then the classroom windows will be shut.
"It'll be cold soon enough," he said.
The school's solution many years ago was to play the chimes between classes, and the group has tried to make sure they only ring between classes. The scheduled times - 8:15 a.m., 11:45 a.m. and 5:45 p.m. - are meant to coincide with breaks between classes, but they don't anymore.
Still, members of the SU community appreciate the music and the tradition.
"I feel like it might bring some joy into someone's day when they hear bingo was his name-o walking across the Quad," Valenti said. "And I leave out all the claps."
nstebbi@syr.edu
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