Work Experience Entire Contents Copyright © 2000–2005 CBH

From the far north of NSW, Kerensa McElroy moved to Melbourne five years ago. Kerensa is already an accomplished musician with one AMUSA in piano, and another in recorder after studies with Ruth Wilkinson. Kerensa’s harpsichord teacher, Ann Murphy, travels to Melbourne from her home in Daylesford once a week to teach at the Melbourne University Early Music Studio.

Kerensa visited the shop for two weeks in February 2004 just before she was about to enter her third year of studies at Melbourne University, working towards a combined engineering and biological science degree (BENG & BBIOSC) as well as the third year of the Music Diploma.

Kerensa was able to hone many of her skills, and the two-week period she chose for her Work Experience was a busy time at the workshop. The new instrument for the Singapore Symphony was well underway with the case and keyboards already finished, and we worked on varnishing the paintwork, cutting and fitting the traditional Flemish papers, stringing, installing the action, and screen printing the nameboard batten. The harpsichord went from a mere shell to an almost-complete playing instrument.

In addition, Kerensa assisted with an interesting repair of a Flemish Double owned by a Melbourne musician. She’s pictured here working blind as she is using both hands to remove the lower guide in the very restricted space at the rear of the keywell, helping to improve access so we can install a new double gapspacer…

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