If there's a pleasant ringing in your ears during Homecoming Weekend this year, that's because among this weekend's main events are rededication ceremonies for the Cornell Chimes.
Sure, there will be other memorable campus events for the thousands of alumni and friends expected to return for the annual weekend of fun and remembrance -- the guided campus tours and class receptions; the football game against Yale in Schoellkopf Field on Saturday; and the Cornell Glee Club's fall concert Saturday night in Sage Chapel, among other planned activities -- but the "Ring in the New" ceremonies, celebrating the return of the university's signature sound after a year's absence, are something special.
The chimes returned to their home in McGraw Tower this fall, after a long visit to Meeks, Watson & Co. bell foundry in Ohio, where two new bells were cast, a third was added and the entire set of 21 was tuned together for the first time in its history. In September, work crews began to reinstall the bells on a new metal frame in the tower, connecting them to a state-of-the-art playing clavier located behind the clock faces. The first official concert was played by the Cornell chimesmasters on Sept. 30, and the final event to mark the chimes' return is the "Ring in the New" celebration this week.
Some of the events planned for the rededication are:
A complete list of the chimes rededication events is available online at www.cornell.edu/zChimes/rededication/rededication.html.
But there's a lot more going on during Homecoming.
Throughout the weekend, there will be student-guided walking tours of the campus leaving from the Information and Referral Center in the Day Hall lobby. In addition, most of the seven schools and colleges will have either open houses or information sessions during the weekend. The Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art and the Cornell Campus Store also will be open throughout the weekend, and the Fuertes Observatory will be open Friday, 8-11 p.m., weather permitting.
Before Saturday's Homecoming football game, returning alumni will want to join classmates and friends at the All-Alumni Pregame Rally and Tailgate, under a tent in the Lynah Rink parking lot, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. A limited number of tickets will be sold at the door -- $9 for adults and $5 for children -- but reservations also are available beforehand by calling 255-7085 or by visiting the Homecoming web site at http://www.alumni.cornell.edu/nea/homecoming/99/. Football tickets and stadium parking information can be obtained by calling the Athletic Ticket Office at 255-7333.
Another big draw, as it is each year, will be the Glee Club's fall concert, Saturday, 8 p.m., in Sage Chapel. One of the nation's leading collegiate men's choruses -- and Cornell's longest-running student organization -- will sing a program of Renaissance music, folk songs of the world and college songs in one of campus's most beautiful settings. Tickets are $6 in advance and $7 at the door.
A complete listing of Homecoming events is available online at the web site above; for further information, call 255-7085.
"We're excited," said Margaret Gallo, Cornell director of reunion and alumni programs. "Regardless of what the weather may bring, I know it will be a great weekend."
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