I took cookies to my students today, because everyone needs a cookie day.
Also, I stood outside and listened to Steve Knight play the Rushton Memorial Carillon above the Harwell Goodwin Davis Library. He’s been doing this for longer than I’ve been alive:
One of our students wrote a little story about him two years ago:
After studying organ under a blind organist in Paris in 1970, Knight’s interest in studying the carillon in Europe grew.
“I knew I wanted to get more involved in carillon, and I was interested in entering a composition contest,” he said. “I told myself that if I won the contest, I’d go over and study.”
With a friend writing down his composition, Knight composed “Pasacaglia Grave.”
He became the first blind American to win the contest, and a month later, was studying at the Royal Carillon School in Belgium.
Ten years later, in 1988, Knight played an organ recital in the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. His parents had been encouraging him to play a recital in D.C. for a long time, so he made it happen.
Fascinating man, beautiful sound, lovely place.
