Serie Colibri

The features of the model include a powerful and direct sound projection in the middle and high registers, as well as high resistance to cracking in the lower register. The flute’s stability and volume, combined with its quick sound response and new design, make it a favorite among soloists. The finger holes are positioned for comfortable hand placement, and the instrument is lightweight.

The recorder’s detachable body allows for a pitch lowering within a 1/4 tone. The manufacturing technology involves annealing the blanks in a special mixture of oil and paraffin to prevent cracking, and the natural lacquer coating on the body minimizes the impact of the surrounding environment. An option for individual engraving on the joint is available.

The series is represented by the following dimension:

• Soprano in C
• Alto in F
• Tenor in C

The idea of creating a series of Colibri instruments arose during the team work on the first Ukrainian online competition of performers on longitudinal flutes COLIBRI-2020.It was conceived as an exclusive line of instruments of various scales exclusively for the winners of the competition.The series had to be distinguished from other models not only by sound characteristics, but also by design.

The experiments began in 2019, first of all, with the introduction of certain structural changes proposed by the company’s brand manager, Olga Milosta, based on the conclusions made in the process of working and studying with the Kyiv recorder maker Yevhen Illarionov. It was the model of Korchynska-Illarionov’s instrument – the first professional instrument – alto in f (2003) that became the basis for the implementation of the team’s ideas. Maple and pear blanks were chosen for the production of recorders of this model.

Unlike the instruments of the previous models, the Colibri recorders have a lighter weight, differ in the structure of the head of the instrument, which has a more convenient shape for the performer, and also have a metal coupling as the connection.

In addition, alongside the work on the model range, the Acropolis team conceived and implemented several ideas for accompanying products – accessories that would become a logical addition not only to the instruments of this series, but also to flutes in general. Thus, special stands have been developed to accommodate the entire family of instruments, as well as new types of covers, cases, etc. This fact is important because since the decline of the Melnytze-Podilskyi workshops, when the Ukrainian longitudinal flute was in mass production, the accompanying products for the flute ceased to be manufactured and were considered “unnecessary”, which became another factor in favor of the previously prevailing opinion about flute as “secondary” instrument compared to, for example, a violin, saxophone or guitar, the presence of accompanying accessories to which is not the subject of any debate and would rather cause surprise.

Despite the primary intention to produce instruments in limited quantities exclusively for the winners of the competition, after numerous feedbacks from the performers, as well as after the successful approbation of the model by the recorder Quartet Dudalis, in 2021, the company’s management made a decision to introduce the COLIBRI instrument model range into further serial production.