This is where I write about some of the broader ideas and events from the workshop and the world of violin making, including conferences I visit, interactions with other violin makers and musical events. Anything I think might be interesting to read.
Early in 2023 the phone rang. “Hello Helen, do you know about Klanggestalten? Would you like to join us this year?”. It was an enticing offer and I was keen to accept. The German violin makers’ association Klanggestalten (Designs in Sound) has long been on my radar. Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, it was …read more
Having taken over running the annual Lutherie conferences that take place in Newark, it seems that last year’s event was just the warm-up act. We realised that the 2022-23 academic year marked the 50th anniversary of the founding of Newark School of Violin Making, and what better way to celebrate the anniversary than to pick …read more
A few months ago, I received an email from the owner of one of my slightly smaller cellos, that she bought on resale ten years ago. In Rebecca’s own words, this was the situation: In 2015 I sustained an injury to my left wrist which severely impacted my ability to perform. After taking some time …read more
In 1999, one of the then tutors at the Newark School of Violin Making had the great idea of setting up an annual one-day conference, open to professionals and students alike. Rob ran this single-handed for 21 years, with speakers from the UK, Europe and North America, until Covid shut it down in 2020. Post-Covid …read more
The news at present is grim and we all wonder what we can do to help. Viola players, this is your chance! You can upgrade your instrument and contribute to humanitarian relief in Ukraine. 100% of the price of the first of these violas to sell will go towards this vital cause. The proceeds of …read more
Over the last months I’ve been involved in a time-consuming but satisfying project. One of my longstanding friends gave me some instruments from the workshop of her late father-in-law, Maurice Bouette. In 1972 Maurice helped set up the Newark School of Violin Making and was its first director; he taught me when I was a …read more
The Newark School of Violin Making has trained many of the best violin makers worldwide over the last 50 years. It was founded by Maurice Bouette, who had himself learnt violin making at evening classes in London run by William Luff; in time he took over the teaching of these classes himself. When the idea …read more
I’ve had an interesting time varnishing this violin, and matching up the new wood and the old. First the violin had some time tanning in the ultra-violet cupboard, which brought the ribs up closer to the old wood. Then the whole instrument had a coat of coloured primer which again helped even the tones. For …read more
I have a lovely workshop which we had built in the garden in 2006/7. The site is tricky; the clue is in the name of our local area, Brooklands, and probably the house was built where there was once a pond when the area was fields. To comply with planning regulations with regard to the …read more
I grew up in Hampstead, North London, in a flat above my father’s motor repair business. An elderly couple, Mr and Mrs Baker lived next door. Ernie Baker was born in 1902, and had been a cabinet maker. In his youth has worked as a violin maker, but apparently there had been no future in …read more
