About the Workshops

Welcome to the International Trumpet-making Workshop!

Over a period of five days 10 participants create a natural trumpet based on an original by Hanns Hainlein of 1632. Workshops are held in Bloomington, Indiana and various European locations several times per year. Instrument-making is done almost entirely by hand according to historical principles, and is closely supervised by the teachers. Starting with flat sheet metal and miscellaneous small parts, each participant will be coached through all the processes, finishing with a playable musical instrument of a very high standard. All materials, tools and facilities are provided, so participants need only to bring to the workshop their energy and commitment. Previous experience with metalworking is not necessary, although facility with simple hand tools is desirable. Well over 800 trumpets have left the workshop over the years, and not one person has ever failed to complete the job. This is a record we intend to keep intact!

Meet the teachers

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Richard Seraphinoff

Organizer of the Bloomington trumpet making workshops

Richard Seraphinoff of Bloomington Indiana has been a maker of natural horns since 1983 and was the co-founder, with Bob Barclay, of the ITW. He teaches modern horn and natural horn at Indiana University

Michael Münkwitz

Organizer of the European trumpet making workshops

Michael Münkwitz is a maker of Natural trumpets and other brass instruments, and the owner of Musik Münkwitz in Rostock Germany.

Robert Barclay

Bob Barclay has been a maker of natural trumpets since the 1970s, and in 1994 was a co-founder of the International Trumpet-making Workshop with Richard Seraphinoff. His book The Art of the Trumpet-maker (Oxford University Press, 1992) details the tools and techniques followed in the workshop.