U of Chicago Carillon Gets Face-lift CHICAGO, IL (wqub) - The 75-year-old carillon at University of Chicago is getting a 1-point-4 million dollar facelift.
Lynette Kalsnes reports.

Wylie Crawford watches as a crane at Rockefeller Memorial Chapel swings a bell through the air.

Crawford says this is the second biggest carillon in the world, and most of the bells are being shipped to the Netherlands for repair.
He's watching the process with some butterflies in his stomach.
He fell in love with the instrument as a graduate student, and taught himself to play.

CRAWFORD: It's a bit of a dance to play, and I'm an international folk dancer and active dancer as well. So it just combined all kinds of things I love to do, and I got bitten by the bug.
Crawford's been playing this carillon for the university for decades.

CRAWFORD: I will miss this instrument, but it will be well worth it, but this instrument deserves and has been waiting for a renovation for quite a while. And it will be magnificent when it's done.

The bells are expected to return in May.
I'm Lynette Kalsnes, Chicago Public Radio.

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