Biography of Jan Kalsbeek

I was born in Oegstgeest, Holland in 1949. My father was a sculptor, my mother a singer. During my youth I spent much of my time in my father's studio. There I learnt wood-carving, clay modelling, painting and pottery and about tools in general. Because of my mother's profession and the piano lessons I received, I became thoroughly involved with classical music at a young age.

After my study at the Library Academy I spent several years working in that field. Around the age of twenty I became fascinated by the harpsichord. A cheaply acquired harpsichord was done up by me in order to play on it. Inspired by this I started to make my first instrument in 1973. From then on more harpsichords came into being. The demand for my instruments increased so much that I decided to become a full-time harpsichord maker in 1985.

My opinions concerning the tradition of harpsichord-making were formed after an extensive study of the literature on the subject of old instruments. On account of this study I received a grant from the Department of Science and Culture in 1988 to visit and study German harpsichords in European collections.

Since 1982 I live and work in the Dutch Hanseatic town of Zutphen, where I have a workshop in a medieval premises in the old centre of the town.