Where most churches have a classic pipe organ, klavenier Cees Roubos took a different approach. Since 1988, thanks to him in the Clemenskerk in Havelte, something special has been sounding every summer: the Chamadron. Unique, because Havelte is the only place in the world where the Chamadron, an instrument designed by Roubos itself, can be heard.
When Roubos plays, stabbing no fewer than fifty trumpets from the reverb holes of the church. It is not only a special spectacle, but above all an overwhelming sound. The chamadron can be heard up to 3.5 kilometers away.
In On Tjak on Radio Drenthe Roubos tells about his creation: “It looks like an organ, but it is just different. We play the chamadron with a keyboard, but the air pressure on the tubes is more than twice as high as with a normal organ. That makes it sound much harder.”
The idea for the Chamadron arose during Roubos’ study at the conservatory in The Hague. As a student, he became fascinated by the organ. “My les organ had trumpets. I wanted to know how those trumpets would sound outside,” says Roubos.
That is why Roubos started construction of his dream instrument in 1988, during his studies. He sought a tower, came out in Havelte and applied for a permit to place his instrument in the Clemenskerk.
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