Carillonneur Robin Austin calls Thomas Rees one of his “great heroes”.
Last fall the Springfield Park District chose Austin to succeed Karel Keldermans, who played the 67-bell instrument dedicated to Thomas Rees for 35 years.
This week Robin Austin follows in the footsteps -or on the foot pedals - of the Keldermans family. It will be his first year as host of the city’s annual International Carillon Festival.
Austin joined Peter Gray on Illinois Edition to explain why people from around the world are drawn each spring to the iconic tower in Washington Park: