Wendell Westcott papers

Collection

Identifier: UA-17.398

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of a CD of Wendell Westcott playing the carillon at the First Evangelical Lutheran Church of Green Bay, Wisconsin, titled "Carillon-Recital," an audio cassette tape of the Michigan State University Sesquicentennial Oral History Project interview of Westcott (2001), a copy of an issue of The Graduate Post, MSU Graduate school newsletter, with an article about Beaumont Tower and Westcott (1995), and photocopies of sheet music for the carillon.

Dates

Creation: 1995, 2001, undated

Creator

Westcott, Wendell, 1911-2010 (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Permission to publish material from this collection must be obtained from University Archives & Historical Collections, Michigan State University.

Biographical Note

Wendell James Westcott was born January 20, 1911 in Jackson, Michigan to William O. and Grace Mable (Brown) Wescott. He was considered a child prodigy at the piano. He became the assistant organist at the Methodist Church in Jackson at age 14. Wescott attended Michigan State College (now Michigan State University) Department of Music on a full scholarship. He received a B.M degree in 1935, and a M.M. in 1939. He also earned a diploma from the Carillon School in Mechelen, Belgium. He was hired as an instructor of piano at Michigan State in 1935.

During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army, stationed in Cairo, Egypt. After the war, he returned to Michigan State College.

Westcott was the Michigan State University carillonneur, playing the Beaumont Tower carillon, from 1941 until 1985. He founded the Spartan Bell Ringers (1954-1966), a group of students who played hand-held bells. He retired from MSU in 1978. Wescott died on April 30, 2010 at the age of 99.

Extent

0.1 Cubic Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Legal Status

Donor(s) have transferred any applicable copyright to Michigan State University but the collection may contain third-party materials for which copyright was not transferred. Copyright restrictions may apply. Property Rights: Michigan State University.