Talk at the NAC Young Artist Program

by | Jul 24, 2013 | Violin making

Each summer the National Arts Centre  presents the Young Artist Program.  Young musicians from around the world come to Ottawa for chamber music coaching, masterclasses and recitals with Pinchas Zukerman and an internationally-renowned faculty.  Chatting with students...

Buying wood in Europe

by | Mar 28, 2013 | Violin making

Last week I was in Germany and North Italy buying spruce and maple for the next few years of violin making.  A colleague and I first visited the wood dealer  Bachmann in Italy, where we bought spruce. In their store room they had hundreds of pieces of spruce which was...

New CD – Bolero ‘Prochaine Station’

by | Jan 2, 2013 | Violin making

A new CD by the Montreal-based trio ‘Bolero’ was released in the fall last year and we’ve enjoyed listening to it many times in the workshop. Titled ‘Prochaine Station’ , it ranges from arrangements of contemporary music to tango, klezmer...

New Norteño CD

by | Sep 7, 2012 | Concerts, Violin making

The superb ensemble  Norteño have released their third CD ~ Cato’s Life. This album features music composed by Pierre-Paul Provencher, who also performs on the bandonéon (accordion) with the group. Norteño works within the world of “tango nuevo” (new tango), a...

Varnish – Italian violin

by | Jul 9, 2012 | Violin making

The photo below is from an Italian violin made in Milan during the middle of the 18th Century.  It’s in our workshop for some major restoration work. On the back the varnish had worn away to show two distinct layers of varnish.  I took this close up photo...