rebec – Ritual Art Troupe

Here as promised are a few pictures of my progress on carving the head for the peghead of the bass rebec made for Orchestra of the Moon by Portland Luthier, Christopher Davies. (My arrangement with Chris was that I would be the one to carve the head.)

The wood for the head is pear. My inspiration came from some Romanesque sculptures I’ve admired for years. This is my first attempt at carving a head for an instrument.

Here is the head on the instrument awaiting finish:

I will post pictures when i have a chance to put the finish on the head.

The news from Orchestra of the Moon this Spring is: Growth!

The band now numbers 11 players, of whom four are dedicated percussionists! New melody instrumentalists have added to the band shawms, bagpipes, nyckelharpa, saz, cornemusen, and additional krummhorns and doucaines. Welcome players and instruments!

We also had the pleasure to play two opening numbers for the Member’s Night of the Portland Recorder Society, an August Association dedicated to the Furtherment of the Noble Science of the Art of Recorder Playing, Auspiciously on the First Night of the Full Moon in May.

In addition to the inflowing of musical talent and energy, Orchestra of the Moon is also recently favored with the timely and able assistance of Kyle Stant and Emma Bourdeau, in matters of instrument repair, computer skills and know-how, and artistic collaboration. Thank Heavens You’ve come!

One last special note: Many thanks to Christopher Davies, Luthier, of Portland, Oregon, for the two beautiful instruments he made this year, intentionally for OotM: A beautiful, elegant 5 string fiddle (vielle), and most recently, an extraordinary bass rebec (also 5 strings). They add much aurally and visually to the band. Thanks, Chris!

By the way, the rebec is awaiting a carved head, attempted by yours truly. I will post a few pictures of that progress in an update to follow.