http://guyharrison.com/blog violin, viola and cello making and restoration Sun, 29 Aug 2010 01:29:49 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en In May I entered the International Mittenwald Violin Making Competition. This competition is held every four years and attracted 175 violin makers from around the world. The instruments are judged on sound and workmanship by an international panel of  judges. The violin I entered won bronze medal.  (both pictured below) The ... http://guyharrison.com/blog/?p=1007 This month I've finished the woodwork of a Stradivari copy I'm making for a client in Quebec. It's now ready for varnishing and will be antiqued to capture the feel of the original violin. Before I glued the front on  I stained the inside which is photographed below.  This violin is ... http://guyharrison.com/blog/?p=944 The players in Ottawa at the National Arts Centre Orchestra are fortunate to have access to a collection of string instruments and bows from the ‘Zukerman Musical Instruments Foundation'. This collection was begun by the orchestra's musical director Pinchas Zukerman. I was asked by the NACO to appraise the collection in ... http://guyharrison.com/blog/?p=966 My assistant is making a copy of a 7/8 size violin by Cremonese maker,  Andrea Amati.  Almost 20 years ago I was inspired to copy the same violin so I've enjoyed seeing this instrument take shape. We hope to have this violin available in the fall. The 7/8 size may ... http://guyharrison.com/blog/?p=913 My copy of  the book 'The best of trade secrets'  arrived recently. It's a collection of articles from the 'Trade Secret' section of the British monthly magazine - 'the Strad'. The topics cover a broad range of violin making techniques and some restoration methods. An article I wrote on reinforcing necks ... http://guyharrison.com/blog/?p=906 Recently this Cremonese violin by Francesco Ruggeri came through our workshop. We took the time to measure and photograph it, before returning it to it's very kind owner. We also took this violin to the Museum of Nature to be photographed which I will present later. With the information I gathered ... http://guyharrison.com/blog/?p=860 On a recent trip  I visited the National Music Museum in South Dakota to study and measure the 1693 Stradivari. Over the winter I'll be making a copy of  this violin for a client. To copy an instrument I begin by taking as much information from the instrument as possible. Below are various  tools laid ... http://guyharrison.com/blog/?p=744 I've been reading a new book on Australian violin making that came out recently. It covers the violin and bow makers in Australia from the 19th Century to the present day. In the introduction, Michael Lea from the 'Powerhouse Museum' in Sydney, does a wonderful job placing the violin makers ... http://guyharrison.com/blog/?p=758 This interesting smaller size violin was brought to the shop for cleaning and a check over. It was made in Milan in about 1740 and is perhaps the work of Paolo Antonio Testore. Often on a violin of this age we find minor cracks.  These can be glued from the outside without ... http://guyharrison.com/blog/?p=680 The Canadian Viola Society celebrate their 30 year anniversary at the Université de Montréal on October 10th and 11th. As part of the event we shall have instruments and bows on display and for musicians to try. All instruments and bows will be available to take out on a further trial.   We ... http://guyharrison.com/blog/?p=661