The Allella

What, you don't know what an Allella is? Well, I didn't until I read about this interesting musical instrument on display at Mindport in the Bellingham Herald today. I just had to go see it, so I dropped C off for her appointment in Fairhaven this afternoon, promising to return an hour later, and drove to Mindport.

Mindport is a unique place, with plenty of hands-on exhibits. You can take your children (or grandchildren) there, and you'll all have a good time. I didn't have a lot of time today, but when I was asked if I'd like to meet John Ito, the designer and builder of the Allella, I jumped at the chance. We had a good chat and he took me behind the scenes to see the woodworking shop and his next project. I had severe pangs of workshop envy.

John is a very talented designer and an expert craftsman. He's also a very nice guy. I was enjoying myself so much it was hard to leave, and I was late picking up C. She forgave me when I told her what had happened.

Read John's description of the instrument and his design philosophy here, and watch this YouTube video of the construction, ending with a clip showing him playing it. I posted a few more photos on Flickr.

Thank you, John, for a very interesting visit.