Laboratorium for bell music
CARILLON IN MOTION
Bells Lab creates innovative projects with bells and carillon. We play from towers but also bring the carillon to the public, because we have an own mobile carillon at our disposal: the tourcarillon.
Bells Lab is an open experiment, a “laboratory” as an invitation to crossing styles, disciplines, cultures between past and future.
Bells Lab creates projects, but is also an open call for musicians, artists, organisations... who want to join to be creativ with bells.
Bells Lab is the brainchild of carillonneur/performer/bell-artist Jan Verheyen, who accounts for playing the bells in all projects.
STORY OF THE FIRST YEAR
CORONA AS A CURSE AND A BLESSING
In February 2020 corona set foot ashore in Europe. The first victim fell in Crema, the Italian town where bell foundry Allanconi is located. Very soon this whole region went into lockdown. Also the foundry was closed for more than two months. The realisation of the tour carillon was postponed till after the Summer. In August 2020 the carillon moved to Belgium. Meanwhile we received bookings for Christmas. But the first concert of the tour carillon, called 'The Sunrise', which was planned in October was canceled on the very last moment. This was the beginning of the second corona wave and all cultural events were put on hold for more than half a year. Also our concerts were canceled.
On the other hand thanks to corona many chances were created for Bells Lab. In December 2020 we played 40 open window-concerts in health care centers. We could do this corona-proof, because we played outside and the audience stayed inside and listened to the concert by opening a window.
In 2021 the tour carillon camped several times in cultural centers, as there were no cultural events allowed . Thanks to these fine cooperations and the financial support of the Flemish Government we were able to create recordings of concerts. We made e.g. a recording of 'the Sunrise', with videos from the real sunrise in the Abbey of Herkenrode in Hasselt. In the theatre Rex in Mol we recorded four different concerts, called "The Rex Sessions". And in Overpelt we recorded the concert Bel(ls)pop and the zenconcert "Bellness". We're still working on this last project and on the project "Beats and Bells" with DJ Goldfox. So you can find some upcoming concerts on the site and you can still enjoy our previous concerts, which were recorded. Hope you'll like it.
COMING UP: THREE PREMIERES
WITH TOUR AND TOWER CARILLON
Since January 2021 we have created many premieres, and we still have three to come!
- Zen-concert "Bellness": You'll be totally zen after listening to this concert of tour carillon and piano. Jan Verheyen plays together with pianist Andy Willems music, that they created themselves. Focus in this music are the sounds and the meditative aspect of the music. After a try-out with the tour carillon, we will now try it out from the tower. You can hear it in Hasselt on Friday, Juin 25th at 6pm and in Neerpelt on Sunday, July 18th at 3,30 pm.
- "Kloktails": All your senses will be stimlulated with this concert. We play "Guitarillon", a great combination of carillon and guitar player Cedric Honings. During the concert we will serve some cocktails. It's like dining with matched wines. We will present this concept on Sunday, July 4th at 3 pm. Click here to get your tickets.
- "Beats and Bells": On Tuesday, July 6 at 8,30 pm you can be our guest at the world premiere of the cooperation between Bells Lab and DJ Goldfox. Two different worlds will meet or yesterday of carillon meets tomorrow of dance/techno! Come, sit down (because of Corona restrictions) and dance in your seat! Click here for free tickets.
STILL AVAILABLE: THE REX SESSIONS
FOUR ONLINE CONCERTS
Bells Lab was camping with the tour carillon on the stage of Theatre Rex in Mol. We were recording four unique concerts with the very best musicians, who are also teachers at the music academy of Mol.
- carillon and piano (classical music)
- carillon and violin (Celtic and Irish folk)
- carillon and electronics (with new music)
- carillon and full band (pop music)
ALSO STILL AVAILABLE
THE SUNRISE AND BEL(LS)POP
We really wanted to play this special concert for a live audience, but corona put a stop to this. Three times again! But, now we have nice recordings of the concert in combination with amazing video of the sunrise over the Abbey of Herkenrode in Hasselt.
On Easter 2021 we broadcast the concert "Bel(ls)pop" from CC Palethe in Overpelt. In this concert we play Belgian pop music. Katrien Smets sings, Jan Verheyen plays the carillon.
You can still admire it...
Projects
