Every Wednesday at noon, Mark Konewko rings the 48 bells atop Marquette Hall. The instrument he plays, called a carillon, is one of three in the state of Wisconsin.

Konewko said he plays whatever he likes, depending on the weather and time of year.

"If it's raining, I might play 'Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head,'" Konewko said.

Konewko has been Marquette's carillonneur since Bill Geisheker, a former Marquette band director who then became the carillonneur, died in 1998, he said.

The carillon is controlled by batons, which are arranged like piano keys. When a baton is played, it pulls a wire down and a rocker arm hits a striker to the bell. The striker is attached to a spring, which pulls the striker away from the bell, Konewko said. The carillon is played from a console in the playing chamber, which is an enclosed room that sits between the two bell areas on top of Marquette Hall.

The carillon console was replaced last year, Konewko said, and a new practice instrument—a console not attached to bells—is to be purchased soon.

Mark McCarthy, assistant vice president and dean of the Office of Student Development, said Konewko has a rare talent.

"It takes a special person to play the carillon," McCarthy said. "Really, it was a matter of luck that we were able to find someone of his skill in Milwaukee."

While the carillon is a challenging instrument to practice and there is some carillon-specific music, it is very versatile, Konewko said.

"Anything you can play on the piano, you can play on the carillon," Konewko said.

Konewko, who is also director of liturgy and music at St. Robert's Catholic Church in Shorewood, said he learned to play the carillon from his private organ teacher, Robert Lodine, who was also the carillonneur at the University of Chicago.

"When he sat down and played, there was something about it that really grabbed me," Konewko said.

After hearing the carillon for the first time, Konewko said he knew he wanted to learn to play it. He studied with Lodine for three years at the University of Chicago, then attended one year of carillon school at Utrecht University in the Netherlands.

Konewko played at the University of Chicago for eight to 10 years, he said, before coming to Milwaukee.

Konewko also teaches a music appreciation class at Marquette. He will teach more classes next fall as part of the new music minor. Konewko said he welcomes students to tour the carillon and would be open to giving private carillon lessons.

Erik Janners, director of music, said Konewko is a "Renaissance man" who is very excited and passionate about his interests.

Janners said the carillon is a difficult instrument to play, and cannot easily be practiced, but Konewko plays it skillfully.

"We're really lucky to have him here," Janners said. "He's one of the few people who plays the carillon in Wisconsin and he's right in our backyard."