PHILOSOPHY

The instruments from the golden age of violin making in Italy are now between 250 and 400+ years old. As a violin maker working today, I have the luxury of being able to insert myself at any point into the time line of history. I can create an instrument that is fully varnished, as the classical instruments were when they were first made. Some players prefer this option. I can also varnish the instrument with varying degrees of wear and patina to suggest the passage of time taking my visual queue from how we know the instruments of the classical era today. Continuous use for hundreds of years has imparted them with an undeniable quality of beauty, which speaks to the stories they tell, and the music they have played. Finally, on occasion I am asked to make a replica of a particular instrument. This process involves careful study to understand the maker’s style and methods of work. I enjoy this challenge and I find that it compliments the rest of the work that I do.

In addition to my activities in the traditional areas of violin making, I have gone beyond the bounds of tradition to explore new aesthetic possibilities by designing and building violin family instruments with a completely unconventional, modern appearance, both acoustic and electric. There will certainly be more of these in the years to come. This exciting endeavor further engages my creative side and allows me the freedom to dream.