Glenn Robertson can get a bit mystical about the mandolin, a smallish stringed instrument that emits a sound that seems to traverse time and space. Each one he makes has a unique voice, a personality if you will.
“The mandolins themselves tell me when they’re done,” Robertson says.
Robertson and Bobbie Cirillo have devoted their lives to handcrafting mandolins in Missouri. They use aged cuts of wood — most notably, salvaged cedar from an Alaskan forest fire in 1934 — to craft custom instruments.
“You can only be as good as the mandolin you play,” says Robertson, who has been playing since he was 5 years old.
In college, a professor told Robertson that he needed a better instrument to fulfill his potential, so his father helped him make his first handcrafted mandolin.
The result is Moon Beam Mandolins. To learn more, watch the attached video.
“Sounds of the Soul” is a Flatland arts series produced by G10 Creative. Watch for digital shorts publishing online Thursdays through July 9, then tune in at 7:30 p.m. July 16 on KCPT for the full 30-minute documentary.
Reading these stories is free, but telling them is not. Start your monthly gift now to support Flatland’s community-focused reporting.
Related Stories
Sounds of the Soul | Just Breathe
Kansas City flute maker John Mark Aladeen finds precious emotions -- peace and joy -- when his breath passes through his flutes.
Sounds of the Soul | Good Vibrations
Armado Espinoza is a multi-talented musician, composer and maker of native instruments.
‘Sounds of the Soul’ | Making New Guitars That Feel Old
The brothers behind Seuf Guitars are intent on creating guitars that match the look and feel of the vintage instruments they adore.