The Royal Carillon School is the oldest and most famous carillon school. Students from all over the world learn to play the biggest music instrument. Russians call the carillon ‘Malinovi Zvon’ , which means ‘Sound of Mechelen’. This proves the eminence of the carillon school as a cultural institution. The government of Flanders titled the school ‘Cultural Ambassador of Flanders’.

The school was founded in 1922 by renowned carillonneur Jef Denyn, in whose honor it was later named, with the support of Americans Herbert H. Hoover, John D. Rockefeller, and William Gorham Rice. The first institution of its kind in the world, the school soon gained international acclaim and has trained carillonneurs from nations across the globe, including China, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Ghana, Japan, New Zealand, Portugal, Russia, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The Royal Carillon School is housed in the historic building 't Schipke (The Ship), adjoining the Hof van Busleyden, where the school's carillon and museum are found. Its facilities include four practice keyboards, a carillon offering extensive practice time, pianos, a library of sheet music, and an important historical archive. The museum and library holdings include an international collection of bells, carillon keyboards, rare books, manuscripts, and art objects.

The school can be visited by prior appointment.
F. de Merodestraat 63
2800 Mechelen
Tel: 32 (0)15 20 47 92
www.beiaardschool.be