Ernest Nicholas Miller
Harpsichords in the Flemish and French Traditions
Flemish Single Manual on Platform Stand
Since 1985 we have been building harpsichords in our small, two person workshop. I design and build the instruments and my wife, Sandra Shulinoff Miller,
does all of the soundboard and lid paintings. Our yearly production is two to three instruments and several harpsichord and piano music boxes. We have no plans
of increasing our output - instead we choose to make a small number of instruments which allows us to give each instrument the care and attention to detail they deserve.
The alternative is to find, train, and manage employees which out of necessity would take us away from the actual building process - something we are not willing to do.
As for our backgrounds, we both have Bachelors and Masters degrees in music and have retired from our careers as choral music teachers. As a teenager, I became interested in piano
technology and, in 1980, took my exams and became a Registered Piano Craftsman member of the Piano Technicians Guild. As my teaching responsibilities started early in the morning
and ended early in the afternoon, I was able to pursue a second career as a piano technician. This led to piano restorations and I spent many years rebuilding grand pianos. During
that time, I was asked to tune a harpsichord at a local music conservatory. The instrument was built by Paul Kennedy, one of our country's finest builders - and he lived a mile
from our home. My fascination with his instrument led to a wonderful friendship and teacher/mentor relationship. For five years, Paul taught me the craft and made it possible for
me to spend the rest of my life working with these wonderful instruments. I am, and will be, forever in his debt.