MEET THE MAKERS of 2023
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TABLE 39: Rod Ward Violins
I have made violins, violas, and cellos professionally in the Old Italian traditions of both Cremona, and Brescia for over forty years. They have gained numerous
recommendations from many professional players from William Primrose, and Emmanuel Hurwitz to the present day. These instruments are known of for their fine tone with strong projection.
rodwardviolins@gmail.com
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TABLE 43: Rudolf Pilsel
2022 marks the 50th year since I made my first violin as a 19 year old student. Since then, working in a number of places in England I have made, and continue to make, violins violas of all sizes, cellos and bows for professional musicians, teachers, students and gifted amateur players. Over the years I have assembled a stock of first class tonewood which with a following wind, will keep me going for another 50 years!
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Table 37: Ornella Ceci
I'm a violin and viola maker. I started my training in stringed instrument making and repair in 2005 with my father Arturo Ceci, a very well known luthier, piano tuner, and restorer in Bari (IT). After a few years of work in my home town as an instrument maker, repairer, and bow rehairer, I decided to improve my knowledge in new making and restore first in North Italy following stages in Turin and Milan then in Amsterdam (NL) . Currently I'm resident luthier at Strijkinstrumentenshop.nl in The Hague.
Instagram: @ornellaceci_luthier
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TABLE 48: Resonant Strings
We are both full time luthiers based in Cawston, North Norfolk UK. Our business is Resonant strings. We make, repair, restore and sell violins, violas, cellos and accessories and Rehairs . We each tend to make our own instruments although we do do some collaboration on instruments at times when asked. Please feel free to make an appointment to visit our workshop if you are interested in having an instrument commissioned or try one already made! . A recent recording of instruments commission from us can be heard on https://soundcloud.com/simon-ballard-272294542/glass-gates-3
Instagram: @resonantstrings
Email: info@resonantstrings.co.uk
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Table 28: Graham Vincent Violins
Somerset based violin maker and musician. I trained at the Musical Instrument Department of the London College of Furniture in the early 1980s. My career has moved through making, design, commercial design management and even architecture, but for the last few years I've been back where I'm happiest - at the bench full time. I make violins of my own design in a traditional style and even make my own boiled varnish.
In my spare time I've managed to perform at the last three Glastonbury Festivals with Mitchell and Vincent.
Follow me on YouTube @grahamvincentviolins for regular videos on violin making and violin related content.
Instagram: @grahamvincentviolins
Email: grahamvincentviolins@gmail.com
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Table 9: IJmkje van der Werf Violin Maker & Restorer
IJmkje is a violin maker and restorer working in Cambridgeshire. She has fourteen years professional experience of which seven specialising in cellos. She works part time in the workshop of the Royal Academy of Music in London and regularly at Philip Brown Violins in Newbury. In her own workshop at home she makes new instruments, mainly violins, and takes on occasional small repairs and maintenance work as well as more extensive restorations.
Her first name looks a bit confusing on paper. It is pronounced Eemkye, with the last e sounding like the short e in the.
Email: ijmkjevanderwerf@hotmail.com
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Table 14: Kai-Thomas Roth
Kai-Thomas trained at Newark School of Violin Making and has exclusively been making bowed stringed instruments of all periods and specifications since 1986. With well over 100 cellos to date, as well as violins violas, viole d’amore and double basses of modern transitional and baroque set up, and even a few viols being played worldwide, he has established a reputation that ensures his instruments are in high demand.
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Table 53: Jan Bartos
Luthier, a graduate of the Ignacy Jan Paderewski Academy of Music in Poznań. After graduation, he became the manager of Eric Blot’s violin making workshop in Cremona, which he ran for 8 years, building new instruments, as well as restoring and issuing expert appraisals of the most famous instruments of the old European masters. In 2007, he moved to Paris and opened his own workshop in the heart of the French luthier’s centre. He is a member of the French Association des Luthiers et Archetiers pour le Departement de la Facture Instrumentale and the British Violin Making Association.
He is the co-author of the catalogue Polish School of Violin Making. Instruments by Groblicz and Dankwart Masters. His latest research has confirmed the Polish origin of an instrument in the collection of the Musée de la Musique in Paris and led to an official change in its attribution. He was awarded a doctoral degree at his Alma Mater in 2020.
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Table 50: Tim Baker
Tim Baker graduated from the Newark School of Violin Making in 1981, and worked for W.E. Hill & Sons and J & A Beare as a bow maker and restorer. He has been a jury member for several international bow making competitions, as well as a major contributor to ‘The British Violin’. Tim is currently Short Course Coordinator for the BVMA, working with colleagues to run a variety of professional development courses at different venues throughout the year. Since 2000, Tim has worked independently as a bow maker in Oxford.
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Table 26: Tulloch Violins
We are a father and son business making fine violins, violas and cellos in the Italian Cremonese tradition. We specialize in making a range of fine violin fittings based on English designs.
Instagram: @tullochviolins
Email: info@tullochviolins.co.uk
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Table 15: Steve Fletcher
With over 30 years experience as a professional musician along with a keen interest in woodwork, Steve saw instrument making as a natural progression to his career. After several years reading about instrument making, he made his first Cello using online resources and very basic tools, including a sharpened spoon to carve the scroll! Having caught the making bug, Steve enrolled at Newark School of Violin Making, graduating with BA hons first class. Steve now makes handcrafted instruments from his workshop in Essex, taking inspiration from great master instruments and adding his own style.
Email: steve@fletcherviolins.co.uk
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Table 29: Gareth Ballard
I have been based in central London at Ballard Violins since 2010. The main feature of my work is the design of the arching. I analyse the design on the computer for a better understanding and to help authenticity. A detail explanation of this can be found in The Strad magazine January 2023.
Instagram: @ballardviolins
Email: garethballard1@gmail.com
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Table 40: Florian Leonhard Fine Violins
The New Making team at FLFV London have the privilege of studying old Italian instruments while creating ‘True Copies’ of them for our clients, offering musicians a superb alternative to antique instruments. Built on decades of experience in new making and high-level restoration, the use of precise casts, moulds and measurements are combined with the finest materials and craftmanship under Florian's expert direction.
We will also be exhibiting bows made in house by Lauri Tanner. Inspired by the great bows in our shop collection, as well as those that pass by his bench, Lauri’s bows are world class.
Instagram: @florianleonhard
Email: violins@florianleonhard.com
Facebook: FlorianLeonhardFineViolins
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Table 20: William Szott
I have used my experience of working on thousands of old instruments to design and make the next generation of violins, violas and cellos, which caters to the demands of modern day playing. My shop is based in south Manchester, where I have built strong relationships with the leading orchestras, music colleges and freelance musicians.
Instagram: @williamszott
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Table 23: Ladislav Prokop
I have been making and restoring stringed instruments for over 25 years, in the great instrument-making tradition of my family. Established in London in 2005, I provide instruments of quality, enjoyable to play, and a pleasure to hear. In continuing the acoustical craft of the great luthiers, I aim to create affordable instruments for the most discerning of customers.
Facebook: /ladislav.prokop.98/
Email: info@prokopviolin.com
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Table 46: Nigel Crinson
For over 30 years Nigel's inspired work is exclusively as a maker, by maintaining a balance of visual beauty with strong character and sophisticated sound, encapsulating the dynamics needed by today's players.
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Table 9: Philip Brown Violins
Philip primarily makes period bows, in particular Classical bows inspired by Tourte and Dodd and early fixed frog bows working from extant examples.
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Table 52: Kaspar Pankow Bows
Kaspar Pankow learned bow making at the West Dean and Oberlin bow making workshops. For ten years he worked in the workshop of Florian Leonhard and now has his own workshop in Switzerland.
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Table 15: Simon Jones
From the making of my first violin I soon moved on to attend and graduate from the Newark School of Violin Making where my passion and love for making was fed. Now set up as an independent maker my workshop is based in the ancient Township of Narberth in Wild West Wales. In this surrounding environment I make Italian design inspired instruments.
Instagram: @simonsviolins
Email: simonsviolins@gmail.com
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Table 29: Filippo Protani Liutaio
I started training at the Maestri Liutai school in Gubbio. I then moved to England and completed the 3 year course at the Newark School of Violin Making. From 2007- 2010 I worked as a maker at the Roger Hansell workshop, in North Yorkshire.
In 2010 I moved back to Italy, where I set up my workshop in Perugia. I won Best Sound in 2013 at the ANLAI violin making competition with a violin, and in 2015 a viola received the Edrev Prize. The past few years I’ve taken courses with Francois Perego on varnish and with the BVMA.
Instagram: @protaniviolins
email: fprotani@gmail.com
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Table 52: Philip Ihle
After training in Cremona, I had 12 years of employment, first with Wilhelm Geigenbau in Switzerland, then with Florian Leonhard in London, where my focus shifted from restoration to making copies of and replacement parts for fine old instruments.
In 2013 I set up my own workshop, IHLE VIOLINS, building bespoke concert violins and replacement parts for fine old violins. Nearly a decade later, my workshop has grown to a small team of dedicated makers, including Mathieu Fourrier and the latest addition, Jef Leirs. My client base has also increased, now spanning across Europe, Asia and the US and my instruments are played in some of the worlds leading orchestras and Ensembles.
Instagram: @ihleviolins
Email: philip@ihleviolins.com
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TABLE 30: Stefan Johann Krattenmacher
Maker of cellos and double basses. Players using my instruments include members of the Berlin Philharmonic, LSO, Oslo Phil, and English Chamber Orchestra.
Email: stefan@krattenmacher.com
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TAble 12: Stamford Strings
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Table 36: Adamson Violins
Colin has been making violins for over 20 years. After graduating from the Newark school of violin making, he worked in Canada, Finland and Germany as a restorer and maker.
He now works out of the beautiful seaside town of North Berwick just outside Edinburgh, where he is concentrating on new making. Colin’s instruments can be found in major orchestras around the UK and Europe.
Instagram: @colin_adamson
Email: mail@adamson-violins.com
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Table 38: Edward Gaut
I am a maker of fine Violins, Violas and Cellos. My new instruments are handmade from attractive seasoned timber in my Bristol based workshop. I make them for professional musicians and students wanting to progress further into a musical career.
My influences are taken from the great historic Italian violin making families and individuals such as Stradivari, Amati, Guarneri and Rogeri.
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Table 18: Nowak Violins
Steffen Nowak (WSVM 1986 with Merit) is a Violin, Viola and Cello Maker in Bristol since 1986.
His instruments are handmade from old European tonewoods and oil-varnished in the classical Italian style.
Violins: after Stradivari, Guarneri, Stainer, Amati
Violas: most common sizes and many models
Celli: a smaller full-size, Stradivari and Montagnana models
A passionate maker, aware of his clients’ needs and expectations means his instruments are appreciated by professionals and advanced students from many countries.
Special emphasis is placed on set up and playability.
A few instruments are readily available to purchase – please enquire about a trial.
Email: s@nowakviolins.co.uk
Instagram: @nowakviolins
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Table 15: Michael G Donnerstag Bows
With a keen interest in working with wood from a very young age and wanting to pursue this interest following a career in IT, I enrolled on the Newark Violin Making course in 2012. During the course I found bows particularly intriguing, due to the multitude of skills and disciplines necessary for making bows to a professional standard. Following my graduation I immersed myself in making and restoring bows while retaining a connection with Newark by helping out with the teaching. I have many great connections with current and retired bowmakers, all of which have helped me on my journey.
Instagram: @mgdbows
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TABLE 51: Helen Michetschläger
I’ve been a violin maker for over 40 years and made more than 330 instruments. These are loved by musicians as far afield as the USA and Hong Kong, from children who benefit from my personal design of small-sized violins and violas to front desk professional orchestral players. I specialise in personalised commissions to meet your ideals for sound and playing comfort.
Email: helen@helenviolinmaker.com
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Table 41: Ragnar Hayn Violin Maker
Ragnar Hayn is a violin maker based in Berlin. He studied at then Newark School of Violin Making in England from 1998 to 2001.
He returned to Berlin soon after, devoting four years to studying the restoration of historic stringed instruments.
In 2005, he founded his own workshop in Berlin focusing on making fine new instruments, winning numerous awards at international competitions.
His instruments are plaid by excellent musicians as from the Wiener Philharmoniker, the Gewandhaus Leipzig, the Radio Symphony Orchestra Berlin, soloists like Ning Feng, Pauline Sachse, Prof. Xenia Jankovic, Truls Mørk, Johannes Moser and Sophie Kauer.
Email: ragnar@ragnarhayn.com
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Table 1: Judith Moser & Tibor Szemmelveisz
Based in North London Tibor specialises in making and restoring high quality instruments. He shares the workshop with Judith Moser, who is a very experienced violin restorer.
Email: tibors@btinternet.com
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Table 27: Colin Cross Violins
Newark-trained luthier with 30 years' experience, recently relocated to the beautiful Dumfries and Galloway. Maker and restorer.
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TABLE 2: Draskoczy Violins
Hungarian Born Gabor Draskoczy started playing the violin at the age of 6 and by 10 he had decided he wanted to become a violin maker. Driven by this dream he graduated in violin making from Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music in 1996.
Gabor's meticulous bench copies not only create the appearance of the originals but has the warm, rich tone of the Old Italian Instruments. His experience and devotion to further mastering his techniques led him to win medals at multiple of the Violin Society of America Competitions; double gold medal in 2016, Silver in 2018 and most recently silver again in 2022.
Instagram: @gabordraskoczy
Email :draskviolin@gmail.com
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Table 6: Ramkumar Sathiakumar
I have been a violin maker for more than 11 years.
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Table 44: William John Violins
William John started work at Ealing Strings in 1977 restoring and studying instruments of the great Italian masters; Amati, Stradivari, Guarneri etc. He started making violins, violas and cellos in 1980, alongside some of Europe’s finest makers.
Having left Ealing Strings in 1991 William continues to make and restore instruments for soloists, orchestral musicians and students.
Instagram: @williamjohnviolinslondon
Email: wjohnviolins@aol.com
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Table 24: Boardman Violins
Boardman Violins is a father and son business; Peter and Rory Boardman.
Peter has been a violin maker for over 40 years, having made around 350 instruments which are played all over the world. He specialises in restoration, new making and tonal adjustments.
Rory has been learning and working in the family workshop since 2018, focusing on new making. His instruments are available to purchase in violin shops throughout the UK.
The workshop is based in Donaghadee, Northern Ireland.
Instagram: @boardmanviolins
Facebook: facebook.com/BoardmanViolins
Email: boardmanviolins@gmail.com
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Table 35: H W Wood Insurance Brokers
Broker for Musical Instruments including Musicians and Collectors, Dealers and Makers, Orchestras and Fine Art Insurance
Email: clairesanders@hwint.com
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Table 42: Andreas Hudelmayer
Established in London since 2002, Andreas has gained a reputation for making excellent sounding instruments as well as for sound adjustments and set ups.
Chamber musicians, orchestral players, orchestra leaders and soloist frequently perform, broadcast and record on their Hudelmayer instruments.
Facebook: andreas.hudelmayer
Email: andreas@hudelmayer.com
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Table 16: Joan Zoroa Olivella Violins
My name is Joan Zoroa Olivella. I am violin maker and restorer of bow instruments. Graduated as Luthier, at the International Violin Making School in Cremona, Italy. Worked as restorer of violins and cellos in England. Moved to Scotland in December 2022, based my workshop in Dunfermline, 30 minutes from Edinburgh.
Instagram: @joanzoroaolivella
Facebook: Joan Zoroa Olivella
Email: olivellaviolins@protonmail.com