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Our Instruments

The Music Note has an extensive collection of musical instruments. In this section of our website, you will find information on specific instruments that have been donated to our studio

Harpsichord

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A harpsichord is a keyboard instrument where strings are plucked, rather than struck like a piano. It's a historical keyboard instrument that was prominent from the 16th to the late 18th century. In 2025, a harpsichord was purchased and donated to The Music Note in honor of Mrs. Gretchen McCabe. Mrs. McCabe has supported the education of the arts in Pittsburgh for decades. 

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Celesta

A celesta is a keyboard percussion instrument that looks like a small, upright piano. It produces sound when felt hammers, connected to a keyboard mechanism, strike metal bars, which are then resonated by wooden boxes. This instrument was donated in memory of Rev. William Kinsey by his wife Mrs. Donna Kinsey in January 0f 2024.

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Whitechapel Handbells

The Whitechapel Bell Foundry is the oldest company that manufactures bells, with a 450-year history of casting tower bells in the Whitechapel district of London. The most famous foundry in the world, Whitechapel cast well-known bells for many churches and state buildings, including the Liberty Bell, and Big Ben, which hangs in the Houses of Parliament. Whitechapel began making handbells in the 1740s. In 2023, The Music Note was very fortunate to have 5 octave set of Whitechapel Handbells donated in memory of the late Thomas J. Newcomer.

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Silver Melody Bells

These rare instruments were produced only for a short time in the 1980s and again from 2013-2020. The Music Note fortunate enough to have these instruments donated in memory of Mr William and Mrs. Carol Hillberry. 

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Bellplates

Belleplates is a brand name of a musical instrument of the percussion family and handbell sub-family. Consisting of a handle attached to a trapezoidal aluminium plate, struck by an attached hammer, they are something of a combination of handbells and handchimes. The donation of the bellplates remains a mystery. They were left on our stoop on Halloween of 2023 with a note "Enjoy making music with these." The mystery donor left them in memory of Rev. William Kinsey.

The Music Note

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