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Free Community Carillon Recital Series

In summertime, there is beauty in the bells - as we present our series of Carillon Community Recitals. Pack a lawn chair or blanket and be there "with bells on" when our Carillon Recitals tower over Yonge and St. Clair.

Guest Carillonneurs
Wednesday, July 2: Michael Gancz
Thursday, July 10: Annie Gao
Tuesday, August 5: Gordon Slater
Tuesday, September 2: Joseph Min

Start time–1:00 pm

BIOGRAPHIES

Michael Gancz
Michael Gancz (b. 1999; they/them) is a carillonist, composer, and researcher based in New Haven, CT, USA. They are an adjunct carillonist at the Yale Memorial Carillon, a graduate of the Royal Carillon School "Jef Denyn" in Mechelen, BE, and a carillonneur member of the Guild of Carillonneurs in North America. Gancz's compositions have won major awards from the likes of ASCAP, New Music USA, and the GCNA, and have been performed across the world. Their research on repertoire diversity in carillon arrangements has been published through Amsterdam University Press, and their work on music theory, machine learning, and medicine is in the Journal of the Royal Society: Interface and Science. They are very excited to visit the Yorkminster Park carillon for their first Canadian concert! Up-to-date information on Michael's projects and performances can be found at www.michaelgancz.com, or on Instagram at @michaelganczmusic.

Annie Gao
Annie Gao is a carillonist and software engineer from the sunny suburbs of Southern California. She first met the carillon in 2017 as a member of the Yale University Guild of Carillonneurs, completed her GCNA Carillonneur exam in 2020, and graduated from Yale in 2021 with a combined B.S./M.S. in Computer Science. She then had the tremendous privilege of continuing her carillon studies internationally with Geert D'hollander, Boudewijn Zwart, and Eddy Marien, and along the way, was selected for the quinquennial Kors Monster Festival Performance Nomination (2024), as well as The Diapason's "20 Under 30" list (2025). She has taught carillon performance masterclasses all over the United States and currently serves the GCNA as chair of the Emerging Artists Grant committee and jury member of the Carillonneur Exam. In her free time, Annie enjoys competitive ping pong, puzzles and brainteasers, good reads, and opportunities to explore and improve her fascinatingly bad sense of direction

Gordon Slater
Gordon Slater has played piano, organ and carillon since childhood and in school began studying bassoon and conducting. His first carillon experience was as assistant to his father, James, who was Carillonneur at Metropolitan United Church in Toronto. Gordon Slater studied at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Music and held a position as a church Organist and Choir Director as well as four Carillonneur positions. He is now retired from the position of Dominion Carillonneur of Canada after 31 years of service playing the Peace Tower Carillon in Ottawa. He has conducted orchestras, choirs, bands and musicals in Toronto and Ottawa and is retired from the position of Music Director of Divertimento Orchestra after 37 years on that podium. Gordon Slater has played bassoon and contrabassoon with the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra since 1979. He was awarded the highest honour of the University of California at Berkeley - the Berkeley Medal - for distinguished service to the carillon.

Joseph Min
Winner of the 2024 Queen Fabiola Carillon Competition, Joseph Min currently lives in New York City and attends the Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation (GSAPP). After graduating summa cum laude from the Royal Carillon School "Jef Denyn" in Mechelen, Belgium in 2023 studying under Koen Cosaert and Koen Van Assche, he has performed on carillons throughout America and Europe. Prior to this, he studied under Joey Brink at the University of Chicago where he was introduced to the instrument. He is a member of the Guild of Carillonneurs in North America (GCNA) and has premiered multiple new compositions at GCNA congresses. Joseph now occasionally plays the carillon at the Riverside Church, as well as being a member of the Riverside Ringers handbell group. His work in acoustics and design will hopefully further both architecture and carillon culture.

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