I found my first low-cost workshop outside our city. I selected some fine wood and immediately began to build various types of hurdy-gurdies. I was extremely curious and wanted to become familiar with all kinds of sound productions. I have built rebecs, tromba marina, crumhorns and finally did not stop even at the regal (reed organ).

At the same time I was playing in our Renaissance ensemble "Öhrli-Musig" where we could try all possible combinations of sounds. At the same time I played also in one or two folk bands. The bit of concert-fee was essential for my survival.

Due to plans for new houses I had to leave my studio. Fortunately I found an empty workshop next to my flat. That’s where I created my first harp: a Gothic harp had been missing since long in our ensemble.

As next, the desire to make a larger harp model was truly logical. In various museums I studied some hook harps which could serve as a model. I developed my own semitone levers, to sattisfie also “modern” customers.

A major decision was imminent: I opened a shop specialized in harps in the old town of Schaffhausen. Thus I sold also harps of industrial manufacturing, as well as sheet music, strings, records and CDs. I started doing restorations on harps: large Erard double-action harps and even some single-action harps too. With TRITONUS we had a lot of concerts (not with the harp, but with hurdy-gurdy and bagpipes).

But then I had big plans again. The dream of making a French pedal harp of the 18th century was awakened. In 1992 I produced my first Louis Seize harps. It was a huge project so I decided to close the store again to save more time for my own work. You may see my first pedal harp on stage: » CECILIA BARTOLI / MARGRET KÖLL - YouTube

At the same time I could make a lot of restorations. Collaboration with museums has become more important (eg my assistance for the catalog of harps in the Berlin Museum).

Once again, a removal: I can move into a bright studio in a commercial building at the border of our city. I stopp touring with TRITONUS music in order to have more time for my research and my work. Now I can build many Louis XVI harps and I make restorations of numerous single-action harps. There is an enormous sense of pleasure to work for professional harpists of high renown and sometimes I find a new CD recorded with my harp in my letter box.

My archives are constantly growing and are of great help for many expertise. I could already buy some old harps, so now I have tackled the restoration of my Hochbrucker-Harp. I am rarely found at harp exhibitions but however the WHCs in Prague and Geneva were important enough for me to exhibit my harps there.