Dana Ciul, Early Keyboard Instruments

My shop provides historically based finished instruments, performs restorations, repairs and instrument completions. I have completed many unfinished instruments for clients who have not chosen to do so themselves for whatever reason. Repair and restoration work is performed with the intention of rendering instruments "concert" ready.

My clients here in the arid Western United States including the Aspen Music Festival and Institute, Denver School of the Arts and the University of Northern Colorado have the advantage of purchasing an instrument made from wood that has acclimated to a drier climate. All case and soundboard parts have air dried for several years. This insures stability of tuning and lessens the need for frequent and costly adjustments to the action. Instruments brought here from the wetter coastal areas invariably develop numerous splits and cracks in the soundboard and case. Conversely however, when I send an instrument from here to a moister environment, the wood merely expands a bit but does not break. You won't need to create a climate controlled music room for your harpsichord.

Over the past twenty-two years I have built forty+ early keyboard instruments. You may choose from several instruments including the painted French double harpsichord, Flemish single and double harpsichords, Italian harpsichord, a single manual harpsichord in hand oiled American cherry and a large or small clavichord.

There is one more thing that you must realize. You don't have to be a world class player to own a world class instrument. What you need is a desire to be more intimately involved with the uniqueness of early music performed on the type of instruments on which it was composed and to take joy in the varied and fascinating tunings of those times. Sadly the early music revival of the Twentieth Century is sliding toward an undeserved oblivion due to shifts in cultural and educational priorities. The fact that you are reading this suggests that YOU are not quite willing to let that happen.

Please call ahead during regular business hours for an appointment.

About Dana Ciul...updated 4/24/08

Full image of Flemish Harpsichord at right

My Instruments On stage

Shop News & Finished Instruments For Sale...updated 4/17/08