In addition to learning the required pieces, Readal added, each musician chooses her own selection of music, called a signature change, which allows listeners to identify who is performing in the Tower. President of the Guild Nicole Sholtz '01 has been a Carillonneur since her first semester at Wellesley. She joined the Guild at the suggestion of a friend who thought Sholtz's piano skills might apply well to playing the carillon. While Sholtz agrees piano-playing ability is helpful in learning to handle the carillon, she said there are still specific skills one must master. The 80 to 1,600 lb.
Carillonneurs strike the levers, which in turn trigger clappers inside the bells.
The musician must consider the clapper's weight when determining the pressure that is required to sound each bell properly . According to Readal, the original console dated from 1931 and was not replaced with the current console until 1984. The old console is still on display in the Tower next to the practice console, which is not attached to any bells. Instead the practice instrument allows musicians to plink and plunk their exercises on a xylophone. Thus, the new practice console will remain in the basement of Houghton Memorial Chapel until the company's representative returns to the U.S. next year.