Choroi Langenthal History
The Choroi instrument-making workshop in Langenthal was founded in the summer of 1991. In January 1998, the Humanus House Foundation in Beitenwil, Rubigen, took over the Choroi workshop with all rights and obligations and continued to run it as a day centre. Moreover, the Choroi workshop is a member of an international association of musical instrument makers. This association works exclusively in socio-therapeutic institutions to develop and produce musical instruments for the Choroi Association.
Initially, the workshop rented an older lightweight building in Bützberg for 15 years. In spring of 2006, the workshop moved to the centre of Langenthal. The workshop is now on the Ruchstuhl site, a larger complex on St. Urbanstrasse. The workshop is wheelchair accessible and bright, and the musical instruments create a calm and unique atmosphere. The workshop produces tubular glockenspiels, chimes and small stringed instruments. The range of work is varied and differentiated due to the different instruments, which are mainly handmade.
Employees
Our team consists of three production support employees and nine who require assistance.
The instruments are predominantly manufactured by the employees requiring assistance. They work on machines and perform a great deal of manual labour. The support staff makes the settings for the machine processes. The work environment described above offers people who receive support from the IV – such as people with autism, trisomy, etc. – meaningful and creative work. In the joint work process, people with support needs can be supported and encouraged according to their abilities and possibilities.
Our most important concern is the social and team-orientated support of people with support needs who produce high-quality products. Clarifications, reintegration as well as IV apprenticeships, e.g. after special schools, are also possible.
Various gauges and templates are produced to manufacture the instruments to enable the people supported to work independently and in a resource-orientated manner.
Machines
The instrument workshop has an extensive machine park, with the CNC (computerised milling and drilling machine) playing a central role. With this machine, complex and even dangerous work can be carried out at the touch of a button. The CNC is mainly operated by a supervised employee after programming.
The acquisition of this machine has made it possible to produce instruments such as the kantele, children’s lyre and glockenspiels.
Some impressions from our workshop
The individual tubes and tubular chimes are hammered on an anvil daily by an employee who requires assistance. This sound echoes through our workshop and gives us a rhythm that accompanies our everyday lives. The precision and regularity of the employee are unrivalled – although each tube is unique, the quality is indistinguishable.
“I hammer the tubes every day and know exactly how much I’ve already done and how much is left. I enjoy hammering, and it gives me a rhythm. My favourite thing is sawing the long tubes to the right length.” Quote from Elena
The children’s lyre is a complex instrument which is worked on with a lot of patience and diligence by an employee who needs assistance. The many hours of work and the diligence put into it are reflected in its quality.
“My favourite job is sanding on the machine. I grind the children’s eggs until they are finished.” Quote from Meas
The Carillion and Diaronne chimes, dolphin eggs, and children’s eggs are initially created on the CNC. The varied work is particularly suitable for people with assistance needs. After being processed on the CNC, they are produced, packaged and dispatched by the employees under supervision on a band saw through to a moulding machine.
“I’m the CNC specialist, working hard at the machine, milling and drilling the workpieces. I produce instruments and enjoy my daily work on the machine.” Quote from Stefan
“I particularly enjoy the machine work, but fine-tuning the sound plates requires my skills. I can do this work particularly well with my perfect pitch.” Quote from Daniel
