Robertson Harpsichords was officially founded in 1995 .
I have created over 60 unique instruments owned by musicians, collectors as well as churches and universities around the world.
Back in 1980 when I was 14 years old Frank Hubbard's book Three Centuries of Harpsichord Making was my main source of information. That year I made my first clavichord then and a copy of the 1640 Andreas Ruckers Flemish harpsichord by using plan drawings from museums. With my first instruments I made them almost entirely by hand using non-power tools like the original makers did. I did not start by making kit harpsichords which often are not very historically accurate and are designed to be easy to build by sacrificing quality and historical accuracy. I began piano at age 7 but switched from piano lessons to harpsichord lessons while in high school.
As an undergraduate I studied both Biology and Harpsichord at Indiana University. As a freshman college student at age 19 I made a copy of the 1745 Dulcken harpsichord for the Early music Institute there. My harpsichord was used for years as the main teaching instrument and is still being played there.
After College I went on to study medicine for nearly 4 years at the Medical College of Wisconsin. As I "couldn't keep the music out of my head" so I re-enrolled at Indiana University to pursue a Masters degree in harpsichord performance.
My Spouse Seana Robertson is my business partner and she manages the office and all the financial aspects.
Besides building custom & commissioned instruments: harpsichords, clavichords, virginals and Clavicytheria, I create paintings, as well as repair older harpsichords and restore antique instruments.
Some of my Harpsichord and Piano teachers included, Dr. Kenneth Mays for piano at Wheaton College, Illinois. Gladys Christensen at Wheaton College, Naomi Rowley, at Elmhurst College, Dr. Kenneth Dorsch and Elisabeth Wright at the Historical Performance Institute at Indiana University where I have also maintained and tuned harpsichords and other early keyboard instruments as an independent contractor.
My Institutional customers include:
Indiana University, Early Music Institute, Bloomington, IN
DePauw University, Greencastle, IN
Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, MO
Oklahoma Baptist University, Shawnee, OK
Wisconsin Lutheran College, Milwaukee, WI
Campbell Hall, North Hollywood, CA
We have instruments located across the USA, in at least 20 states, plus Canada, Austria, Australia, Germany, Spain, Taiwan, and Virgin Islands.
Business address:
403 West Vine Street,
Ellettsville, Indiana, 47429 USA
(812) 935-8016