Tin-Shi Tam may not be the most well-known name on campus, but her work is heard every weekday at Iowa State. Tam is the woman responsible for the music coming from the Campanile heard by people on campus as they walk to and from classes.

Recently, Tam became a hit nationwide on YouTube when she played the popular Lady Gaga song “Bad Romance” on the carillon for students to hear. Since then she has received many requests for other favorites.

“Coming soon includes ‘Louie Louie’; theme songs from ‘Family Guy,’ ‘The Simpsons’; and possibly ‘Poker Face.’ Stay tuned,” Tam said.

She has also been quite creative with her song choices, playing an arrangement of “folk songs, classical music, pop songs and original carillon music.”

Some songs that students may recognize include the “Hokey Pokey,” “Flight of the Bumblebee,” Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin,” the popular ‘80s Rick Astley song “Never Gonna Give You Up,” and even Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”

For quite a while, Tam says Friday concerts have been reserved for requests. “If the music translates well on the carillon, I do my best to honor those requests,” she said.

Tam’s favorite aspect of playing the carillon in the Campanile is “getting my daily exercises from climbing the steps [and] sharing the music with everyone on campus and around the globe.”

Something unique in which Tam has had the honor of participating in her time here at Iowa State as carillonneur is the event of marriage proposals. Since 1994, Tam has played music for more than 20 proposals. She goes up into the Campanile and plays the carillon upstairs while the couple gets engaged. The music she plays is usually something the couple can recognize, such as their special song.

Tam added, “Every proposal is unique, special and memorable.”

Tam learned to play the carillon in 1991 when she was a graduate student at the University of Michigan. After browsing through a university calendar, she noticed an announcement for a carillon concert in the university’s clock tower. Curious, she asked her music professor about it, and her love for the carillon was born.

Tam went to the concert and afterward went up in the campanile where the carillon was located. Soon she started taking lessons on the carillon.

“I began my tenure as university carillonneur at Iowa State University in 1994,” Tam said.

Tam is the university’s fifth carillonneur. Half of her workload is spent teaching an online music appreciation class to non-music majors while the other half is dedicated to work involving the carillon. This includes giving performances, organizing festivals, teaching lessons and even selecting guest performers.

“Classes are available for ISU students who are interested in learning how to play the carillon,” Tam said. “Also, Campanile tours are available during the weekday carillon concerts.”

Tam said she plans to continue playing the carillon for the Campanile “as long as I am able to.”

Weekday carillon concerts are webcast live.