Jonathan Hill Stringed Instrument Maker

Come to Leith’s historic waterfront for an extraordinary evening of live music performed by some of Edinburgh’s leading musicians. Relax and let the power and virtuosity of two double bass’s take you on a lesser known musical adventure.

Double bass duo Nikita Naumov and Jamie Kenny (Scottish Chamber Orchestra) perform an exciting repertoire of music by Bottesini, Eccles, Anderson, Tabakov, with Callum Robertson accompanying on Piano.
Plus special guests Emma Lloyd (Violin / Viola Diablo) and Jonathan Hill (frame drum) kicking off the evening with a set of Swedish folk tunes.

Come and enjoy an evening of live music unlike any other.. Not to be missed!

TICKETS: Eventbrite link in bio.

VENUE: Custom House Gallery, Customs Wharf, Leith.
The gallery is situated on the side of Custom House, overlooking the water.

DRINKS:
This is a BYOB event, feel free to bring drinks and snacks. There will not be a bar on site.

See you there!

Thanks to the Edinburgh Music Review for reviewing our concert last weekend.. You can read it here:
https://www.edinburghmusicreview.com

It was a pleasure to perform on frame drum again, especially next to one of my own instruments, to hear it in that way.

Thanks to for the amazing photos of the event, a selection is included here.

Last week I was honoured to receive the award for Woodworker of the Year!
Thanks to for sponsoring the award, and to for carving ‘the hand’ award- perhaps the strangest award I have seen. I love it!

peg box decoration.
The design is based on venetian picture frame decoration from 16thCentury.
It is made from Maple wood which was carved to shape and then blackened with pigment and ink in shellac.
I then painted the design with oil size before laying on the gold leaf.
The tuning pegs are turned from boxwood.

The legend of ‘die lorelei’ the singing, seductive mermaid who lured seamen to their deaths.
Pear wood and oil paints, mother of pearl inlay, carved box wood ‘clam shell’ pegs.

Viola d’amore, 2021.
The blue/green colour and all decoration on this instrument is based on the legend of ‘die Lorelei’, a german poem by Heinrich Heine, in which an enchanting, seducing mermaid lures seamen to their death.
Every part has been made using traditional techniques and materials to fit with the theme.
For the colour I used an indigo carmine stain and phthalocyanine oil pigment.
Materials; Maple back & sides, pearwood neck and carved head, carved ‘clam shell’ boxwood pegs with pearl pips.
Spruce soundboard with twisted silver wire ‘rope’ Rosette and silver gilt bridge.
Mother of pearl inlaid pegbox, Ebony veneered fingerboard and tailpiece, with engraved silver plate tailpiece attachment. Oil paints.
7/7 strings - 37cm string length.
Photos by Gareth Hacker, London.

From earlier this year- 6/6 made from cherry wood back and sides / apple neck / spruce soundboard / ebony veneered fingerboard and tailpiece / ebony pegs / pine resin linseed oil varnish.
34.5cm string length / Late C17th setup.

Peg box gilding finished and this Lira da braccio is ready to be assembled.

Adding the floral design to the peg box of this lira da braccio.
Painting with gold 🥇