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Annual congress

The GCNA holds an annual Congress at a different location each year, usually in June, lasting about 4 days. Congress events include recitals, presentations, workshops, business meetings and social opportunities. Congresses are open to members and non-members alike.

(Regional gatherings are sometimes organized by local carillonneurs. Although the GCNA offers some funding for such gatherings, official business is not conducted at such meetings and they are not official GCNA events.)

GCNA Congress 2024

The next GCNA Congress will be held at Concord University, Athens, West Virginia, on June 5–8, 2024.

Visit the 2024 congress webpage for registration and other information!

Why attend a Congress?

  • Build your network. Meet and reunite with others working in the carillon art and allied disciplines.
  • Learn something new. Exchange ideas with the premier voices in the carillon art from North America and beyond.
  • Share your knowledge. Present your latest scholarship and research to an eager audience.
  • See carillons. Listen to and play the carillon(s) we visit each year.
  • Give direction. Help govern the GCNA by participating in the Annual Meeting of the Members.
  • Eat well. Share meals, receptions, and a banquet with GCNA members and friends.
  • Have fun. Enjoy the company of like-minded carillon enthusiasts!

Future Congresses

The GCNA welcomes invitations to host a Congress. Potential hosts are encouraged to consult the Guidelines for Hosting a GCNA Congress resource document, and to speak to the GCNA President or Chair of the Board Subcommittee for Events.

Past Congresses

The first gathering of North American carillonneurs was held at Hartford in 1934. It laid the groundwork for the GCNA, which came into existence at the second such gathering, held in Ottawa in 1936. Congresses have been held annually since 1946. All are listed below.

In the First Bulletin, published in 1940, the meetings of 1934, 1936 and 1939 were referred to as the First, Second and Third Congresses of Carillonneurs in North America. Following World War II, there was a period of time when annual congresses of the GCNA were simply identified by the year in which they were held. Current practice, which is followed in the list below, numbers the congresses with respect to the founding of the GCNA.

It is common to visit other carillons in the vicinity during a congress; those are not listed. When more than one location is listed, each served as an official host for part of the Congress.

80. 2023, June 14–17; St. Stephen's Church (photo), Cohasset, Massachusetts - visit the 2023 congress webpage here
79. 2022, June 16–19; University of Chicago (photo), Chicago, Illinois - visit the 2022 congress webpage here
78. 2021, June 1–30; Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut (joint GCNA/WCF congress) - held virtually via Zoom - visit the 2021 congress webpage here
2020, canceled due to COVID-19 (GCNA/WCF congress had been scheduled to be held at Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania)
77. 2019, June 10–14; Bok Tower (photo), Lake Wales, Florida
76. 2018, June 4–8; Thomas Rees Memorial Carillon (photo), Springfield, Illinois
75. 2017, June 18–22; Thomas J. Emery Memorial Carillon Tower (photo), Mariemont, Ohio
74. 2016, June 16–20; Yale University (photo), New Haven, Connecticut; highlights
73. 2015, June 15–19; Missouri State University (photo), Springfield, Missouri
72. 2014, June 16–20; University of Denver (photo), Denver, Colorado
71. 2013, June 18–21; House of Hope Presbyterian Church (photo), St. Paul, Minnesota; highlights
70. 2012, June 17–21; Clemson University (photo), Clemson, South Carolina; highlights
69. 2011, June 26–July 1; Kirk-in-the-Hills Presbyterian Church (photo), Christ Church Cranbrook, St. Hugo's Catholic Church, Bloomfield Hills and University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan; highlights
68. 2010, June 14–17; The Millennium Carillon (photo), Naperville, Illinois; highlights
67. 2009, June 22–25; Longwood Gardens (photo), Kennett Square, Pennsylvania
66. 2008, June 10–13; University of California at Berkeley (photo), Berkeley, California
65. 2007, June 18–21; University of the South (photo), Sewanee, Tennessee
64. 2006, June 20–23; Yale University (photo), New Haven, Connecticut
63. 2005, June 13–17; Grand Valley State University (photo), Grand Rapids, Michigan
62. 2004, June 7–10; The Culver Academies (photo), Culver, Indiana
61. 2003, June 17–20; Berea College (photo), Berea, Kentucky
60. 2002, June 26–29; University of Michigan (photo), Ann Arbor, Michigan
59. 2001, June 23–26; Kirk-in-the-Hills (photo), Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
58. 2000, June 25–28; The Joseph Dill Baker Carillon (photo), Frederick, Maryland, and Mercersburg Academy (photo), Mercersburg, Pennsylvania
57. 1999, June 16–19; Iowa State University (photo), Ames, Iowa
56. 1998, June 17–20; University of California at Berkeley (photo), Berkeley, California
55. 1997, June 4–7; University of Kansas (photo), Lawrence, Kansas
54. 1996, June 24–28; St. Stephen's Church (photo), Cohasset, Massachusetts
53. 1995, June 21–25; Princeton University (photo), Princeton, New Jersey
52. 1994, July 7–10; Brigham Young University (photo), Provo, Utah
51. 1993, June 16–20; First-Plymouth Congregational Church (photo), Lincoln, Nebraska
50. 1992, June 12–16; Deeds Memorial Carillon (photo), Dayton, Ohio
49. 1991, June 27–July 1; Baylor University (photo), Waco, Texas
48. 1990, June 24–27; Washington Cathedral (photo), Washington, D.C.
47. 1989, June 23–27; City Hall (photo), Albany, New York
46. 1988, June 6–10; University of California at Berkeley (photo), Berkeley, California
45. 1987, June 22–25; Rees Memorial Carillon (photo), Springfield, Illinois
44. 1986, July 10–13; Houses of Parliament (photo), Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
43. 1985, June 10–13; Culver Military Academy (photo), Culver, Indiana
42. 1984, June 18–22; University of Wisconsin (photo), Madison, Wisconsin
41. 1983, June 19–23; Central Christian Church (photo), San Antonio and First Baptist Church (photo), Corpus Christi, Texas
40. 1982, June 22–25; Trinity College (photo), Hartford, Connecticut
39. 1981, June 22–26; Mayo Clinic(photo), Rochester, Minnesota
38. 1980, June 20–24; Iowa State University (photo), Ames, and University of Northern Iowa (photo), Cedar Falls, Iowa
37. 1979, June 17–22; Mountain Lake Sanctuary (photo), Lake Wales, Florida
36. 1978, June 15–20; Christ Church Cranbrook (photo), Bloomfield Hills, and University of Michigan (photo), Ann Arbor, Michigan
35. 1977, June 23–26; St. Chrysostom's Church (photo) and University of Chicago (photo), Chicago, Illinois
34. 1976, June 14–17; Washington Memorial Carillon (photo), Valley Forge, St. Thomas Church Whitemarsh, Fort Washington and Trinity United Church of Christ, Holland, Pennsylvania
33. 1975, June 15–18; University of California - Riverside (photo), Riverside, and UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California(
32. 1974, June 23–26; Emery Memorial Carillon (photo), Mariemont, Ohio
31. 1973, June 17–21; Scottish Rite Cathedral (photo), Indianapolis, and Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
30. 1972, June 18–21; Metropolitan United Church (photo) and The University of Toronto (photo), Toronto, Ontario, Canada
29. 1971, June 20–23; Rees Memorial Carillon (photo), Springfield, Illinois
28. 1970, June 28–July 1; Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist (photo), Spokane, Washington
27. 1969, June 22–25; Yale University (photo) New Haven, Connecticut
26. 1968, June 16–19; Mountain Lake Sanctuary (photo), Lake Wales, Florida
25. 1967, August 28–30; Houses of Parliament (photo), Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
24. 1966, June 19–22; Princeton University (photo), Princeton, New Jersey
23. 1965, June 13–16; Iowa State University (photo), Ames, Iowa
22. 1964, June 14–19; Washington Cathedral (photo), Washington, D.C.
21. 1963, June 16–19; House of Hope Presbyterian Church (photo), Saint Paul, Minnesota
20. 1962, June 17–20; University of Michigan (photo), Ann Arbor, Michigan
19. 1961, June 18–21; Culver Military Academy (photo), Culver, Indiana
18. 1960, June 19-22; 1st Presbyterian Church (photo), Jackson and University of the South (photos), Sewanee, Tennessee
17. 1959, August 23–26; Christ Church Cranbrook (photo), Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
16. 1958, June 22–25; Washington Memorial Carillon (photo), Valley Forge, Pennsylvania
15. 1957, June 16–19; Church of the Savior (photo) and St. Paul's Church, Cleveland Heights, Ohio
14. 1956, June 17–20; University of Kansas (photo), Lawrence, Kansas
13. 1955, August 28–31; Houses of Parliament (photo), Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
12. 1954, June 21–23; Wellesley College (photo), Wellesley, Massachusetts
11. 1953, June 21–24; University of Chicago (photo), Chicago, Illinois, and Culver Military Academy (photo), Culver, Indiana
10. 1952, June 23–25; Emery Memorial Carillon (photo), Mariemont, Ohio
9. 1951, June 25–27; Rainbow Bridge (photo), Niagara Falls, Ontario, and Cathedral of Christ the King (photo), Hamilton, Ontario
8. 1950, June 19–21; City Hall (photo), Albany, New York
7. 1949, June 20–22; Trinity United Methodist Church (photo), Springfield, Massachusetts
6. 1948, June 14–16; University of Michigan (photo), Ann Arbor, Michigan
5. 1947, August 25–27; Luray Singing Tower, Luray, Virginia
4. 1946, August 28–30; Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey
3. 1942, [Dates unknown]; Wellesley College, Wellesley, Massachusetts
2. 1939, August [days unknown]; Riverside Church, New York, New York
1. 1936, September 1–3 (GCNA founded); Houses of Parliament (photo), Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

1934, October 3–4 (Pre-GCNA meeting); Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut


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