Chelveston 2020

Saturday April 18th

A group of something over forty of us came together in Chelveston in April this year for an enjoyable party. We assembled sixteen pianos, clavichords, virginals, and spinets, and we were entertained to some spirited playing by our volunteer musicians. There were a couple of short talks, but mostly it was an opportunity to chat to each other, make friends, and enjoy numerous tea and lunch-breaks. Planning for Chelveston 2020 is well in hand, and although it’s early days, it looks as if we have a full house already. The party will be on Saturday, April 18th, with the Friday afternoon for setting up the instruments and tuning, and an evening meal at the Star & Garter for those who are staying overnight. Details will be maintained on the this page of this website, including a provisional list of the instruments we will have.

I'm afraid that the event is 'sold out' now, but I will be happy to maintaing a standby-list in case there are any cancellations.

Lizzie Cooke and Chris Sansum playing a duet on spinets by Thomas Hitchcock (1735) and Edward Blunt (1704) at Chelveston 2019.

Some of the Instruments for 2020 (Provisional)

Square Piano by Johannes Pohlman

The unusual gravity-operated damper system from the Pohlman - the only example known

Lucy Coad will be talking to us about the restoration of one of the candidates for the title of 'First Fleet Piano' - taken to Australia by the surgeon George Worgan in 1788. This is not the piano in question, but it is a Broadwood identical to the one which we know Worgan bought in 1783.