5-Ya Krivoluchenskaya Street, 3, Tula, Tula Oblast, 300016
ru en
COMPANY “TULSKAYA GARMON”
The history of our business began in the 19th century. Tula is the birthplace of russian hand-held harmonics. It was in this city that Ivan Sizov made the prototype of the modern Tula accordion in 1830. Years passed, small artisanal production gained momentum. The craftsmen honed their skills, modernized musical instruments and, in the end, created a product that is in no way inferior to foreign counterparts.
Today "Tulskaya Garmon" is one of the leading manufacturers of musical instruments in Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. Using modern technology, we do not forget the traditions established almost two centuries ago.
History
History
1808
1808

Craftsmen from Tula the Shkunayev brothers made reed plates in their workshop for reed pipes and harmonica instruments.

1820
1820

Gunsmith Timofey Vorontsov started production of simple harmonica instruments in the basement of his factory which made samovars.

1830
1830

The first German single row button accordion was brought to Tula by gunsmith Ivan Sizov. The craftsman dismantled the German instrument, took pattern of some parts and succeeded in making the musical instrument which didn’t differ in the quality of sound from the foreign wonder.

1848
1848

The factory for making simple accordions, organized by Timofey Vorontsov, produced more than 3700 musical items per year. And later the production output reached 10 000 pieces.

1870
1870

N.I. Beloborodov asked craftsman L.A. Chulkov to make the musical instrument with a two-row keyboard offering his own sketches. Later the Garmon with chromatic arrangement of buttons will be called «Bayan». The invention by Beloborodov allowed the world-famous Russian composer Tchaikovsky to make the Garmon the part of the symphonic orchestra.

1880
1880

New factory for making button accordions appeared at the end of the Shtykovaya street. It was set up by L.A. Chulkov. The factory was not big, however, there was no factories in Tula which could rival with this enterprise in terms of the hardware.

1883
1883

The Kiselyov brothers, engaged in manufacture of the arms, set up the workshop for manufacture of simple accordions to obtain additional income.

1885
1885

N.I. Beloborodov organized an amateur society of chromatic accordion players, and soon the amateur society became the popular orchestra.

1888
1888

The exhibition of diatonic button accordions was held in Tula. The instruments made in the Chulkov workshop generated public interest, the Grand Duke Mikhail Mikhailovich ordered to present the Gold medal to Leontiy Chulkov.

1890
1890

The Kiselyov brothers built a two-storey building at the Venevskaya street, where the factory for making button accordions was organized. Hired workers and handicraftsmen, who previously independently manufactured the components, and among them the best craftsmen in Tula, were pulled to the factory. They all were forced to stop their own craft business since it became impossible to compete with the well-run factory production.

1900
1900

The Kiselyov brothers had significantly widened the range of the free-reed musical instruments. The factory making button accordions and Bayans held one of the leading places in Russia and was competitive around the world. At the International Trade Fair in Paris two- and three- row Vienna accordions made by the Kiselyov brothers were given special awards.

1912-1913
1912-1913

The production volume of button accordions in Tula reached the highest mark.

1920
1920

The Vorontsov factory was turned into a factory for production of cartridges.

1922
1922

The craftsmen began to set up the artels for making different types of accordions. The first artel was organized by the craftsman A.P. Pastukhov. This craftsman, who was the best in attaching reed plates, for many years headed production of the top-quality concert and solo Bayans.

1928-1930
1928-1930

All privately owned workshops, which operated in Russia, were not appropriate for serving the basis of the state-owned industrial enterprises. So, the new Soviet power set up new factories for manufacture of button accordions. More than 6 000 independent craftsmen were recruited into cooperative during that period.

1930
1930

Construction of the state factory for production of button accordions was launched in Tula at the dam Privokzalnaya.

1941
1941

During the World War II production of the button accordions continued. In the letters from the front the combatants asked to deliver them the Bayans and button accordions because songs helped them to fight the enemy. The button accordion became the comrade-in-arms. To perk up the troops about 12 000 button accordions were delivered to the front in summer 1941 and 60 000 instruments in autumn 1941.

1943
1943

The artel "Тulskaya Garmon” served the basis for setting up the vocational school in Tula. Its aim was to train workers to make musical instruments. Till now the Company is keeping faithful to these traditions.

1946
1946

The prewar production volume was reached and mainly due to the skillful workers who passed training in the vocational school organized during World War II.

1950
1950

Enhancement of the design and appearance of the musical instruments and further widening of the product range. The Tula Bayans demonstrated excellent qualities in terms of the sound richness. Such expressions as "Тula Bayan", "Тula Basses" and others were the evidence of the awareness of the Tula brand and quality.

1951
1951

The factory was awarded the Diploma of the Exhibition of Achievements of National Economy for the top-quality products. The main advantage of the Tula Bayan was provision for standard setting-free bass accompaniment in the left-hand keyboard.

1963
1963

The trade mark of the Production Association "Melodiya" appeared on the musical instruments.

1967
1967

The Tula Bayan was displayed at the international exhibition in Montreal, Canada. More than half of the total production of the Russian Bayans was attributed to Tula. The top-quality, unique, multitimbral Bayans "Levsha" were awarded various medals. The best concert halls of the world welcomed the performers playing Bayans "Rodina", «Rusich», "Mir", made under the guidance of Y.P. Matorin and V.V. Proskudin.

1970
1970

Annual production of Bayans by the Production Association "Melodiya" reached 110 thousand pieces.

1994
1994

The JSC "Melodiya" won the International award for quality “Diamond Star” in Mexico City. For the first time the Tula button accordion (Garmon) was included into the artisanal handicraft category.

1997
1997

The JSC "Melodiya" was awarded the Erstmaker prize in Switzerland in the nomination «For preservation and development of the Company staff capacity in the transition economy”, and the general manager A.Z. Chaus was presented the award in the nomination «For wise and flexible management policy»

1998
1998

In Madrid the JSC "Melodiya" won the international award “Platinum Star” for the top quality of its products.


1999
1999

In Paris the JSC "Melodiya" won the European award «For top quality».

2000
2000

The Association was registered under the new name as the limited liability company «Тulskaya Garmon».

2001
2001

For the first time the instruments of the company «Tulskaya Garmon» were included into the category the artisanal handicraft which attests their artistic value.

2006
2006

The limited liability company «Тulskaya Garmon» obtained the certificate granting the right to use the name of the location where goods originated. «Тulskaya Garmon» became one of the well-known brands of the Tula region.

2011
2011

The limited liability company «Тulskaya Garmon» took part in the international fair «Musikmesse -2011” in Frankfurt-am-Mein (Germany). The displayed products enjoyed popularity among the visitors of the Fair.

2017
2017

With the purpose of development of the product range, the piano production was launched. The name of the piano model “Melodiya” was given in the honor of the Production Association "Melodiya", which for many years was the main supplier of the musical instruments in the former USSR.

2018
2018

The Company «Тulskaya Garmon» took part in the international exhibition «Music China -2018” in Shanghai (China). Having noticed the high demand for the products, the Company started exporting its musical instruments to China.

2020
2020

The Company is celebrating the 200th anniversary of the founding of the first production in Tula, the 90th anniversary of the founding of the State Factory, and the 20th anniversary from the date of establishing of the limited liability company «Тulskaya Garmon».

Не хватает прав доступа к веб-форме.