This year I entered a violin in the International Violin Making Competition in Mittenwald, Germany. It is held every four years and this time the majority of violinmakers taking part came from Europe and some from Asia. I was the only violin maker from North America to enter.  My violin made it through to  the final round and was performed in the closing concert. I was pleased to be awarded a special prize for workmanship and excellent/special artistic expressiveness. (more or less translated from the German with help from a German colleague!)

 

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The violin was my usual Stradivari model that I have made for many years.  Though I’ve continued to change details in the f’holes, edgework or for example in the front and back arching. In particular I’ve changed the style of bridge, fingerboard and dimensions of the bass bar over time as well.  The changes in ‘set-up‘ (bridge, fingerboard etc.)  have a large effect on the sound, ease of playing and the feel of the bow on the strings.  Many of these adjustments are from the advice of good colleagues but also a result from working with musicians everyday in the workshop.

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            Stradivari model, Harrison violin 2014