Bok Tower Creates Virtual Earth Day Celebration

On a typical Earth Day, Bok Tower Gardens would be filled with the sounds of thousands of local school children learning about nature, wildlife, conservation, and more. However, on the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day, April 22, 2020, the beautiful music of the Singing Tower and images of the stunning Gardens will be streamed to the community instead.

Celebrating Earth Day's 50th Birthday

Understanding the importance of this day in the current pandemic, the education team at Bok Tower Gardens leaped into action to bring the message of Earth Day to families who are safer at home.

From April 20-24, the team will be sharing online learning activities, videos, downloadable content, and stunning photography through social media platforms and the Bok Tower Gardens blog. The culmination of the celebration will be a special carillon concert on April 22 at 1 p.m.

A Concert for the Birds and Wildflowers

Bok Tower Gardens has recognized the importance of conservation and environmentalism for more than 90 years. In 1931, the Gardens' first Carillonneur Anton Brees performed a concert for the birds, and in 1932, he played a concert celebrating wildflowers. Programs for both of these festivals were preserved in the Gardens' archives and are available for viewing online.

Bok Tower Gardens' fourth Carillonneur Geert D'hollander's musical recreation will be livestreamed on Facebook and can also be viewed at Boktowergardens.org.

Capturing the Beauty of Songbirds

D'hollander's concert will include music arranged by Anton Brees that mimics the calls of the bird song that fills the air at Bok Tower Gardens. The musical notes for the birdcalls was printed on the back of the 1931 program. The concert will feature Brees' selection of European folk songs and classical music.

This will be the first time these historic concerts have been performed in 89 years.