The house, looking west toward Jay Peak |
Front of the house looking east |
View from the Verandah |
Paul Culotta, Harpmaker with a "Victoria" model under construction |
Petrucchio doing what he does second best in life... |
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The Setting
Among the dense forests of Northeast Vermont, on a little more than eleven and half acres, is a secluded chateau style house near the top of a hill. It is not a large house, but it is comfortable, fairly new, and commands an incredibly beautiful view of a mountain range, and that view centers on Jay Peak. (If you are a New Englander and a skier you'll know the area.) This is now the home of Woldsong Harps.
There is no basement to this house, but when I moved here from Burbank, California in March 2000 the entire first floor was a 10 plus car garage, fully heated and insulated, a space ideal for a craftsman's home woodshop. Even as I work here the serene natural beauty of this Eden does not escape me.
The Harpmaker
Many years ago, (c 1981) my daughter, Shawna started asking me to build her a harp. She was about 15 years old and already an accomplished harper, having won a North American Junior Championship for Irish harp. Having neither the tools nor skills to undertake such a project, I was naturally reluctant to embark on such an undertaking. But Shawna was adamant. Two advantages I did have, though, were first, a background as an aerospace industrial chemical engineer, and a very dear friend who was (and is) a magnificent woodworker.
Though my friend, Walter, had never built a harp, we had one that Shawna had recently purchased, (by a one time California maker who will remain unnamed, and in which she was severely disappointed). From this, my friend plotted out a procedure, and taught me the skills, and safety, of using his tools. I practiced those skills on junk wood then eventually secured some nice walnut and commenced copying (with some modifications) Shawna's new 27 stringed instrument.
When I was about half done building the first one, a lady friend of Walter's happened by his shop, asked me what I was making, and when I told her, said she had always wanted a Celtic harp, and could she purchase it from me. I told her yes, and told Shawna that she probably didn't want the first one I made. Thus, I started a second, and lo, a similar incident took place. I told Shawna she probably didn't want my second one either, but with the sale of two harps, I had the wherewithal to purchase enough Koa wood to build four more instruments. Three I sold, and one finally got to Shawna who made good use of it by winning the North American Junior Irish Harp junior competition a second time, and then on to Ireland to win the All Ireland Junior Competition.
In the meantime, she had sold the one I had finally given her, and given me the money on the condition I personally design and build her a 36 stringed instrument. This was accomplished in a few months time, and though there were some mistakes in that original design, Shawna was still able to use it as her concert instrument and was making a good name for herself as a professional harper/harpist. (She had since taken up the pedal harp during her first year in college at just barely 17 years old). Having learned from my mistakes, I redesigned that 36 stringer and gave her the revised version. This then is the same basic design that appears in my catalogue and website with only a few modifications.
I love building harps, and I love even more hearing them played, bringing joy to their owners and music to any and all who hear them, whether in casual or professional surroundings. Also, I have been very blessed by having an outstanding harper/musician with whom I work very closely to make constant criticisms and suggestions from the harp player's viewpoint. It is this close association with Shawna and a number of her colleagues and other professionals who have purchased harps from me, and with whom I have remained on close terms that has given me the insight into what a truly fine instrument must be. Too, they have on occasion been vociferous in their criticisms, and I have welcomed this. It is my will to build the most professional harp I can.
Petrucchio has been part of the Woldsong staff now for about 6 years. He has countless hours of experience in the shop, mostly getting under my feet and swatting me with his highly active tail. Of course, as an English Pointer, his main function is to point at approaching Englishmen, but his experience at this has been limited.
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