Since he was a child, Steven Ball has been fascinated by bells.

As the University's carillonneur, he now rings them for a living.

Atop the Burton Memorial Tower, Ball plays the carillon, a series of bells rung by playing a keyboard like that of an organ.

The bells are programmed to ring every quarter-hour - a throwback to the Renaissance, when city-dwellers depended on church bells to tell time.

Ball jingled a huge key ring that looked like a jailer's as he climbed the narrow stairwell from his office on the ninth floor of the tower yesterday. As Ball walked around the Charles Baird Carillon's 60 bells, he explained how the instrument works.

"It's unimaginably simple," Ball said.

The carillonneur hits keys and pedals on a keyboard. The keys and pedals pull wires, which activate the hammers that strike the bells.

The 43-ton carillon, with bells ranging from 21 pounds to 12 tons, is the third largest of the 500 in the world.

Ball often receives letters asking him to perform pieces.

One "Star Wars" fan asked Ball to arrange John Williams's score from the classic film series. Ball said he's too busy to oblige.

He has learned a little of the music, though.

Sitting at the carillon bench, Ball formed his hands into loose fists and pounded out "The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)." For a few seconds, a sinister echo lingered over Central Campus.

"Just to prove that it can be done," Ball said.

Ball said playing the carillon is special for those who get the opportunity because most of campus can hear it.

"Every time they're up here, it's a performance," Ball said. "It's actually a little unnerving, because you can have a hundred thousand people listening to you."

During high school, Ball took a carillon course at Grand Valley State University. He continued studying the instrument at the University of Michigan, and in 1998 became a member of the Guild of Carillonneurs of North America.

Now Ball teaches students to play the massive instrument.

Anyone with keyboard proficiency can apply to learn carillon. In an average semester, Ball teaches the instrument to 15 to 20 students, he said.

This semester's class is smaller because Ball is finishing a doctorate in campanology - the study of bells - at the University.

Ball said he feels lucky to be able to make a living playing the carillon.

"It's somewhat difficult to play the carillon professionally, because there are not as many full-time positions in the world," Ball said. "But this is one of the really cool spots."

GABE NELSON

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