Eugeen Uten

Eugeen Uten (Diest, September 21, 1919 – Brugge May 14, 2001) In 1944 he left for Mechelen to attend lessons at the Royal Carillon School of Jef Denyn. His teachers were Staf Nees (carillon) and Jef Van Hoof (composition and harmony). On July 15th, 1948 he graduated magna cum laude. As assistant carillonneur of Staf Nees he was allowed to play the bells in Mechelen from October 1st, 1948. Only few months later, on May 21st – 1949, he was already appointed chief carillonneur of Bruges. In 1957 he won the first prize at the international composition contest of Utrecht (the Netherlands). In 1958 he was an Expo composition contest of Mechelen awards winner. And in 1959 he was the first in the history of the Royal Carillon School ‘Jef Denyn’ to get a Diploma of Excellence summa cum laude. In 1984 he was awarded a Royal Order of the Crown Medal for his distinguished artistic service in the development of the carillon of Bruges and of carillon music in general. As an extremely devoted and hard working musician he composed about 120 pieces of music for carillon and adapted some 1000 pieces of music to the specific needs of the carillon in order to let the bells of Bruges ring as beautifully as possible.