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The Richard Burnett Collection

Tunbridge Wells - Kent

Fourteen original and important period keyboard instruments from the seventeenth to the mid nineteen centuries are displayed and used regularly by keyboard players, professionals, amateurs, students and children. 

This collection is on loan by Richard and Katrina Burnett. The instruments can be used potentially for recordings and research at Waterdown House.

The Finchcocks Charity welcomes you to our homepage. Please take time to explore the different sections which will explain more about our strong tradition of supporting period keyboard music.

We welcome visits from students, schools, technicians and interested groups. We offer the chance to play the instruments for yourselves. We believe that each keyboard instrument in our collection has a unique sound, touch and key strength. These qualities are only possible to experience personally and our aim has been to encourage everyone - from a complete beginner to a PHD student - to “have a go”.

These instruments have been collected over the years by Richard Burnett and form the “Richard Burnett Collection”. Dating from 1700 – 1866, the collection features a spinet, harpsichord, clavichord, English and Viennese pianos from renowned makers such as Clementi, Erard, Pleyel, Graf, Kirckman, Rosenberger and Walter.

The Finchcocks Charity
The Finchcocks Charity

 

The Finchcocks Charity

We are open for recordings and training and actively encourage private visits. Another important part of our recent outreach has been the training of tuners and technicians in the traditional art of period piano maintenance. We realise this area is badly in need of development and support and have so far trained three technicians.

Restoration
Restoration

There's nothing remarkable about it. All one has to do is hit the right keys at the right time and the instrument plays itself

Johann Sebastian Bach
Welcome to Finchcocks

The Finchcocks Charity for Musical Education was lovingly founded in 1984 by Richard and Katrina Burnett originally to support for the many activities at the Finchcocks Musical Museum and now continues in Waterdown House, Tunbridge Wells.

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