
Menu Home Page Biography Lecture Topics Publications News Links Instruments © 2010, Ed Kottick Privacy Policy	News September, 2010. The biennial Boston Early Music Festival and Exhibition began in 1981, and I've been to every one of them; but not last year, and perhaps not again. Early music has become so main-stream there seems to be little point in it for me anymore (although the BEMFE opera productions are truly magnificent). In no way is this intended to discourage anyone from going to the Festival. It's still a great affair; but after all these years I'm jaded. 2007 saw the completion of my 50^th harpsichord, a Franco-Flemish double, commissioned by a professor of finance at the University of Northern Iowa. The American Musical Instrument Society honored me with their Curt Sachs Award in May of 2006, at the Society's 2006 meeting at the National Music Museum in Vermillion, SD. The citation bears the following text: "The Board of Governors of the American Musical Instrument Society records its pleasure in designating Edward L. Kottick the recipient of the 2006 Curt Sachs Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the appreciation of the harpsichord and to the understanding of its historical development, physical characteristics, and acoustical properties through his distinguished work as a scholar, author, lecturer, builder, and designer." Vermillion, South Dakota, May 22, 2006. Signed by Kathryn L. Shanks Libin, President The Neapolitan harpsichord I designed for Zuckermann Harpsichords continues to sell well, both as kits and finished instruments. To say that this instrument is "interesting" is putting it mildly, since it is built all of maple, including the soundboard, a typical Neapolitan practice. Another design I did recently was a double-fretted clavichord (compass C-f 3 chromatic) after the 1784 Hubert in Edinburgh. I finished the prototype at the beginning of this year, and it is indeed an outstand clavichord (for which I cannot take credit, since all I did was re-design Hubert's work for kit construction). More sets of parts should be available soon. At ZHI's request I recently designed a small, simple virginal, suitable for the jobbing harpsichordist, that will fit into the back seat of a car. We call it "The Troubador." The shop is finishing the prototype now. Over the past few years I've been creating construction manuals for Zuckermann Harpsichords, building the instruments as I write. I find it challenging and fulfilling work. So far I've done the octave virginal (which I designed), the double-fretted King of Sweden clavichord (which I redesigned), the new Italian virginal, the new five-octave unfretted clavichord, the Neapolitan Italian, and the Hubert clavichord. I've also done the two Flemish singles (1x8', 1x4' and 2x8'), the Flemish double, the conversion kits for the old 5' slant side (the original Zuckermann harpsichord), the 6' slant side, and all the early Flemishes. I am also doing technical support for the kit instruments. As always, my shop is busy with repair work, an activity I enjoy a great deal. I continue to practice my new career as music director/conductor of musical theater. Last year I did "Camlelot," and this year Bernstein's "Wonderful Town" and the great classic "South Pacific." And I resumed playing the trombone, the instrument I abandoned 45 years ago. I've played in some pit orchestras, and also play regularly with a quartet (in which I play the sackbut) and a quintet. Why did I ever quit? You can get some information on my latest book, A History of the Harpsichord, including the Table of Contents, on the IU Press web site.
*Ed Kottick* 502 Larch Lane Iowa City, IA 52245 Phone: 319.337.3770 FAX: 319.337.4595 Email: ed@kottick.com

News

September, 2010. The biennial Boston Early Music Festival and Exhibition began in 1981, and I've been to every one of them; but not last year, and perhaps not again. Early music has become so main-stream there seems to be little point in it for me anymore (although the BEMFE opera productions are truly magnificent). In no way is this intended to discourage anyone from going to the Festival. It's still a great affair; but after all these years I'm jaded.

2007 saw the completion of my 50^th harpsichord, a Franco-Flemish double, commissioned by a professor of finance at the University of Northern Iowa.

The American Musical Instrument Society honored me with their Curt Sachs Award in May of 2006, at the Society's 2006 meeting at the National Music Museum in Vermillion, SD. The citation bears the following text:

"The Board of Governors of the American Musical Instrument Society records its pleasure in designating Edward L. Kottick the recipient of the 2006 Curt Sachs Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the appreciation of the harpsichord and to the understanding of its historical development, physical characteristics, and acoustical properties through his distinguished work as a scholar, author, lecturer, builder, and designer."

Vermillion, South Dakota, May 22, 2006.
Signed by Kathryn L. Shanks Libin, President

The Neapolitan harpsichord I designed for Zuckermann Harpsichords continues to sell well, both as kits and finished instruments. To say that this instrument is "interesting" is putting it mildly, since it is built all of maple, including the soundboard, a typical Neapolitan practice.

Another design I did recently was a double-fretted clavichord (compass C-f 3 chromatic) after the 1784 Hubert in Edinburgh. I finished the prototype at the beginning of this year, and it is indeed an outstand clavichord (for which I cannot take credit, since all I did was re-design Hubert's work for kit construction). More sets of parts should be available soon.

At ZHI's request I recently designed a small, simple virginal, suitable for the jobbing harpsichordist, that will fit into the back seat of a car. We call it "The Troubador." The shop is finishing the prototype now.

Over the past few years I've been creating construction manuals for Zuckermann Harpsichords, building the instruments as I write. I find it challenging and fulfilling work. So far I've done the octave virginal (which I designed), the double-fretted King of Sweden clavichord (which I redesigned), the new Italian virginal, the new five-octave unfretted clavichord, the Neapolitan Italian, and the Hubert clavichord. I've also done the two Flemish singles (1x8', 1x4' and 2x8'), the Flemish double, the conversion kits for the old 5' slant side (the original Zuckermann harpsichord), the 6' slant side, and all the early Flemishes. I am also doing technical support for the kit instruments.

As always, my shop is busy with repair work, an activity I enjoy a great deal.

I continue to practice my new career as music director/conductor of musical theater. Last year I did "Camlelot," and this year Bernstein's "Wonderful Town" and the great classic "South Pacific."

And I resumed playing the trombone, the instrument I abandoned 45 years ago. I've played in some pit orchestras, and also play regularly with a quartet (in which I play the sackbut) and a quintet. Why did I ever quit?

You can get some information on my latest book, A History of the Harpsichord, including the Table of Contents, on the IU Press web site.

Ed Kottick
502 Larch Lane Iowa City, IA 52245
Phone: 319.337.3770 FAX: 319.337.4595
Email: ed@kottick.com

Menu

News