key, US
Musician
John Challis (1907–1974) was an American builder of harpsichords and clavichords.His father Charles was a jeweler and watchmaker who moved his family from South Lyon, Michigan to Ypsilanti, Michigan in 1919.John attended Michigan Normal College (now Eastern Michigan University), where his interest in constructing keyboard instruments emerged.The instruments had a clear and bright sound and stayed in tune through temperature and humidity changes. A Challis pedal harpsichord was used by E. Power Biggs on two Columbia Masterworks recordings of the music of J.S. Bach and Scott Joplin.