Chicago Symphony Soloist to
use Leverett Hurdy-Gurdy
By Darcy Wallace
Illinois Valley News staff reporter
O’Brien residents George and
Anwyn Leverett are two of the
more well-known musicians in
the Valley: they’ve been making
their own instruments and playing
concerts for over a decade.
Now, the Northbrook
Symphony in Chicago, Ill. will
play one of the Leverett’s custommade Hurdy-Gurdy instruments in
a Feb. 27 concert.
The “Royal and Rustic” concert
features Franz Joseph Haydn’s
Notturno #2 in C Major and a
solo with the Hurdy-Gurdy, an
instrument that has been around for
over 1,000 years—predating the
violin.
“We built it especially for this
concert so it fits the time period,”
Anwyn Leverett said.
According to the Leveretts,
this type of Hurdy-Gurdy is like a
Chicago-area musician and performer
Jim Kendros with the hand-crafted
Hurdy-Gurdy made by the Leveretts.
O’Brien, Oregon residents George and Anwyn Leverett display the hand-crafted
Hurdy-Gurdy to be played by Jim Kendros at the Northbrook Symphony in
Illinois at a February 27 concert.
“wheel fiddle,” which has a crank
that turns the wheel to play its
strings. An artistic design of roses
along the edges was hand-painted
by Anwyn, who said she put on 24
coats of lacquer.
It’s not the only type of HurdyGurdy: the Leveretts make them in
different styles and shapes, some
with a higher range, more strings
or decorative artwork Still others
are electric, with a battery, tone
and volume switches.
The couple began work on this
Hurdy-Gurdy in December, dusting
and putting on the final touches
before sending it in the mail
Tuesday, Feb. 1.
Soloist Jim Kendros ordered the
instrument, whom the Leveretts
said have bought instruments from
them in the past.
“We fell in love with this one,”
George Leverett said. “We got
attached to this one since it took
longer to make,” Anwyn added.
The Leveretts said they would
perform at the Illinois Valley Little
League chili feed and cookoff
Saturday, Feb. 19. They also plan
to be at Taylor’s March 18 for a
post-St. Patrick’s Day concert.
Article reprinted courtesy of: Illinois Valley News (Feb. 2, 2011 edition, vol. 73 no. 47).