“You play the what?”

Coppell High School 2015 graduate Alex Johnson has been asked this question several times.

An instrument unknown to most, the carillon can weigh anywhere from 16 pounds to nearly 12 tons, and requires both hands and feet to be used simultaneously. 

After only playing the carillon for four years, Johnson received a grant to play at the Royal Carillon School in Mechlem, Belgium after winning the prestigious Queen Fabiola Competition, which is described as the “Olympics” of the carillon.  

“When I won, [I felt] happy and overjoyed, and [I was in] disbelief,” Johnson said. “It took me a while to believe I had won, because for the years I had known about the contest it was always this concept which was above me. This was the ninth competition [ever] and the eight other people who won all have high profile carillon careers. It was very much a dream.”  

Before ever setting eyes on the carillon, Johnson played percussion in the CHS marching band and at Coppell Middle School North, which aided Johnson in learning to play the carillon at the University of Rochester, N.Y..  

“There were plenty of challenges along the way, but [it wasn’t] difficult,” Johnson said. “I was already very good at [knowing] how to approach and think about musical problems, and that ability definitely came from the percussion program at Coppell.” 

While in high school, Johnson immersed himself in the marching band program. From becoming the percussion section leader to composing ensembles, Johnson expressed his musical creativity in many different ways. 

“Composing music is very time consuming,” 2012-2018 CHS percussion director Zach Sheer said. “There were quite a few students who expressed interest in [composing] who [didn’t] completely finish the process. The fact Alex was bringing me multiple compositions, and they were also very long, engaging and really good, showed he had put a lot of time and effort into [composing].”

Eager to learn more, Johnson asked his musical directors challenging questions.

“He would always ask me challenging questions about why certain composers [did certain things],” former assistant CHS percussion director David Marchuk said. “He grasped all the [theoretical aspects] of music. He soaked it all in and took it to another level.”

Even in high school, Johnson knew music would follow him when he went to college.

“[Music] was always something he was going to do on the side,” Karen Johnson, Alex’s mother, said . “When we were looking for colleges, [music] was part one of the criteria. He wanted to find a school where he could participate in a music program.” 

Baroque music, used in certain carillon compositions and to describe Westren European music from 1600-1750, was unlike the contemporary music Alex grew up with. 

“One of the biggest obstacles was being comfortable with baroque style of music,” Alex said. “It was the genre I was least exposed to [growing up].”

Another challenge is the coordination involved in playing the carillon. The player strikes the batons with their fist while pressing pedals with their feet.  

“[Playing the carillon is like] dancing while seated,” Alex said. “It’s very physically involving, it requires both hands and feet playing bells at all different locations. It really involves the whole body.” 

Though Johnson graduated with a major in physics, he plans to pursue the carillon at the Royal Carillon School in Mechlem, Belgium. 

“[I wish more people knew] that the carillon exists,” Alex said. “Adding the carillon to high school] percussion programs would be fantastic. Getting the carillon into school systems is what the [carillon] community is pushing for.” 

Though Johnson has played many instruments, he continues to explore his musical career in his own way.

“Rare doesn’t begin to describe [what Alex is doing],” Scheer said. “I had never even heard of [the carillon] before. For him to be so successful at playing [it] is just amazing. When I heard he was playing it successfully, I thought ‘Of course he is.’” 

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