Biography:
Craig C Tomlinson

I began building folk instruments in the late 1960s. In 1975, I was asked to work on a kit-based double-manual French Harpsichord for a Vancouver keyboardist. The challenge of this task opened up a new world for me. After building several more kit instruments, I decided to build my own harpsichords, adopting the designs, materials and methods found in historical instruments. The harpsichords I envisioned combined a balance between the tonal intricacies of the sound, a keyboard and action that responded perfectly to the player's touch, and an aesthetic beauty in its decoration. It also had to be a very stable, reliable instrument.

Over the next few years I worked with Edward R. Turner—who was associated with the Russell Collection in Edinburgh—and John Philips in Berkeley, California. In 1984, I returned to Canada to set up my own workshop in Vancouver, British Columbia.

In 1988, I received a Canada Council Grant to research historical instruments in selected collections in Europe. From this experience I came away with a wealth of information, measurements and photographs, as well as a good supply of excellent tone woods to achieve the vision I had for my instruments.

All my designs, materials and structures are based on the surviving 17th and 18th century harpsichords from the French, Flemish, Italian and German schools of building. To ensure stability, I use only well-seasoned timbers of yellow poplar, German spruce, Swiss pear, Italian cypress and European beech along with logs of ebony, boxwood and holly. Virtually all of the parts used in the instruments including the keyboards and jacks are handcrafted in my West Vancouver workshop.

My passion for building musical instruments remains as strong as ever, and I’ve produced a number of other related early music instruments, including fortepianos, virginals, and clavichords. These each come with their own unique sounds and design challenges, which keeps this craft so captivating. 

Today, my instruments are used in concert halls by many of the world's top players, ensembles and orchestras.