Frank Steijns (1)

Frank Steijns Violin and Bells (1)

On Friday January 27th 2012, Maastricht celebrated a Big Bell Concert, in connection with the 50 years jubilee of the Maastricht Conservatory and the first promotional kick off to compete for the title: "Maastricht, the European Cultural Capital in 2018". All Maastricht carillons and church bells played along with school children who were on the Vrijthof square with hand bells. Frank Steijns played the "Paltz", the biggest Dutch mobile carillon built on a truck, which comes from the town of Soest in the Netherlands. Click HERE to read an article from a Dutch paper in the Harmony Parlor.

A report of the event by the local L1 television with additional footage by Ineke from a room in hotel DuCasque.

Frank Goes “Rock” In June 2011 the Dutch country side was “treated” to the sounds of the Dutch farmers rock band “Normaal” with Frank Steijns as their special guest. Rock and bells, a special combination!

Maastricht Mayor Onno Hoes opens the Big Bell Event on January 27th 2012. Thanks to Benny Geets for finding this video clip on YouTube.

Frank’s new mobile carillon (after the first one was stolen!) in the church of Lanaken. (Belgium).

Frank is fixing the old broken carillon in the town hall of Capetown, in South Africa.

July 2005: During the series of Maastricht concerts in 2005, Frank Steijns played a hilarious part, running up and down the bell tower of the St. Servaas Basilica. He played the famous "Concierto de Aranjuez", by the Spanish composer Joaquin Rodrigo, who wrote this piece in 1939. Watch the video below.

The Maastricht concert series July 2005 were released in the DVD "Songs from my heart".

Click HERE to go to Frank Steijns Page 2

This is what André Rieu wrote on his official website about Frank: Frank Steijns One day you must come to Maastricht! Then you can enjoy hearing the sound of Frank playing one of the world’s oldest and most beautiful sets of carillon bells high in the tower of our town hall. When they ring out everyone in the town knows: ah, the Johann Strauss Orchestra is back home! Frank is a musical millipede – he plays quite a few instruments in my orchestra: violin, piano, guitar, mandolin, banjo and even carillon bells. When we are on tour, if there is a piano in the hotel bar, he can play for us for hours without ever needing a sheet of music to read from. In the studio he accompanies the singers’ rehearsals on the piano and helps me write music for the orchestra. His great hobby is photography. In the odd moments on tour when he is off duty he works on the ‘News’ page on my website. And as you know, Frank is also the fastest stair climber anywhere in the world!