Lutherie Life
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Blogs
How to photograph violins: Tarisio’s Robert Bailey speaks to the VSA
The auction house’s head photographer gives details on his camera set-up, lighting, studio layout and the different requirements of front, side, back and scroll shots
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News
Winners announced at 2024 VSA instrument making competition
Bow makers Victor Bernard and Emmanuel Carlier were named ‘hors concours’ members, while Canadian luthier Fabienne Gauchet received a double gold for quartet - for the second time
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Blogs
Violin trivia: Can you beat the VSA’s top brains?
Test your violin knowledge with some of the questions from the VSA convention’s Trivia Night on Monday 18 November
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Video
Jordan Bak plays the ‘Silver Leaf Fiddle’ by Andrew Carruthers
The unusual violin is currently on display at the ‘New Instrument Exhibit’, part of the Violin Society of America’s 2024 convention in Indianapolis
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News
‘Salabue, Matsuda’ Stradivari violin fetches $3.48 million at auction
The instrument’s back, ribs and head showcase Stradivari’s early work from around 1666, while the front was remade during the maker’s Golden Period
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Blogs
Violin Society of America’s 50th convention kicks off in Indianapolis
Exhibitions, lectures and demonstrations were all in evidence on the first day of proceedings
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News
Scotland’s oldest surviving cello to be heard in public for the first time since the 18th century
The 1756 cello by Robert Duncan, which once belonged to a fierce opponent of the slave trade, will take to the stage in a performance at the University of Aberdeen on 22 November
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Premium ❘ Feature
My Space: Yam Uri Raz’s Hawai’i workshop
The maker shows us around his shop in the city of Hilo
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Blogs
How do you take a violin to space? The story of astronaut Sarah Gillis and her violin
Taking a violin into space is no simple task. Barbara Barber from Robertson & Sons Violin Shop shares how astronaut Sarah Gillis selected the instrument for her mission, as well as the process behind preparing the violin for its journey
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Blogs
The return of a stolen pardessus: a case of provenance and restitution
In 2022, Annalisa Pappano bought a six-string pardessus from a reputable dealer that turned out to be stolen from a Belgian museum. She shares her turbulent story, in an aim to raise awareness of issues related to stolen instruments and the potential pitfalls for musicians
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Blogs
Stradivari to Degas: The Strad visits the Metropolitan Museum’s string instrument collection
The Strad’s staff writer Rita Fernandes discovers the Met’s string instrument collection in its many forms! Check out her photos of the extensive collection and learn more about some of the instruments below
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Premium ❘ Feature
My Space: Corvus Kwok’s Hong Kong workshop
The luthier takes us on a tour of his shop in Kowloon, Hong Kong
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Blogs
Why I rotate between seven bows: cellist David Finckel
From 19th-century French bows to modern carbon fibre, David Finckel outlines why each of his seven bows has a time and place in his music making
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News
One gold medal awarded at 2024 Cremona Triennale violin making competition
Alessandro Peiretti received the award in the cello category, while Liu Zhaojun, Borja Bernabeu and Michele Dobner all received silver medals
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Blogs
‘Del Gesù’ Club brings together 17 Guarneri violins
Organised by David Garrett, the annual two-day event allows owners and players of Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ violins to play and examine each other’s instruments
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Blogs
Why I only make violas: luthier Gabrielle Kundert
The maker shares why she has dedicated her craft to the viola, as we take a close-up look at her copy of a 1787 Castello viola commissioned by National Symphony Orchestra principal violist Daniel Foster
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Premium ❘ Feature
My Space: Olivier Calmeille’s Montpellier workshop
Examine the Atelier Scordatura in the south of France
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Gallery
Photo Gallery: Celebrating Women Luthiers at Sapp Violins
The final instalment of the international exhibit took place from 13 to 19 July 2024
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News
‘Auer, Benvenuti’ Stradivari violin tokenised by digital asset company
A Digital Product Passport has been created with blockchain technology to preserve the violin’s unique provenance, which includes Leopold Auer and Joseph Benvenuti
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Blogs
Amati, del Gesù and Gagliano: more beautiful instruments from Music@Menlo
Another impressive spread of historic instruments, played by artists of the 2024 Music@Menlo Summer Festival