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.
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
I spent an amazing week in mid-July at the studio of François Perego in Dinan, Brittany, refining my ideas about violin varnishing. François has a background as a painter, art restorer, chemist and researcher, and is the compiler of the major work on painting materials in the French language. He has been running courses for …read more
For the first time since I was a student myself, I attended the annual Diploma Day at the Newark School of Violin Making. I’m the chair of the RAB Trust which supports student violin makers, and in that role I have come to know many of the students that have benefited from awards from us, …read more
I keep in close contact with the college where I studied, Newark School of Violin Making, and in my role as chair of the RAB Trust www.rabtrust.org I host students for work experience and do whatever I can to keep in touch and help. I was delighted to hear last year about a fantastic inititative …read more
