0161 972 0839 helen@helenviolinmaker.com

Helen Violin Maker

modern violin maker

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Work In Progress

321: 14 1/4 inch (36.2cm) cornerless viola 2020

29th August 2020

I don’t know if there is any connection with the Covid-19 pandemic, but I’ve had a surge in interest in my small violas for young players. Perhaps it’s just chance or maybe families and teachers are extra-focussed on the wellbeing and development of their children. Whatever the reason, I’m always happy to make these small …read more

320: Violin based on Antonio Stradivari 1734 ‘Habeneck’

15th August 2020

This is fast becoming my signature violin model! I made it for the first time last year as a commission for a front-desk player in the Hallé Orchestra; I thought it would meet her requirements, and I love its quirky charm and asymmetry. There are many aspects of the design which work especially well to …read more

319: 16 5/8 inch (42.3cm) viola based on Gasparo da Salo

21st July 2020

I’ve had a break of several weeks from the workbench: I had to move out of the workshop to work temporarily in the house in mid-January, as the workshop was suffering water ingress and had to be stripped out and tanked. Fortunately the builders finished just before the UK’s Covid-19 lockdown, and my wonderful brother …read more

318: 16 inch (40.5cm) viola based on Gasparo da Salo

12th July 2020

  This is one of my favourite viola models; I’ve made it many times and a number of my earlier versions are now playing full-time in orchestras including the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and City of London Sinfonia. It’s based on a tenor viola that is in the collection of the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, …read more

317: Violin based on Stradivari 1734 ‘Habeneck’

23rd December 2019

I made a violin based on this model earlier in the year, for a front-desk player in the Hallé Orchestra. I really liked the model; its quirky asymmetry is appealing but more importantly the arching shapes seemed as if they would give a violin with power, richness and warmth. This proved to be so, and …read more

316: Cello based on Francesco Ruggieri

13th December 2019

This has become one of my favourite cello models. I first came across it a few years ago when in collaboration with three fellow violin makers we made a copy of it as a project at the Royal Northern College of Music, which owns the original. It’s a fine instrument with a rich quality of …read more

315: 16 5/8 inch (42.3cm) viola based on Gasparo da Salo

17th October 2019

This viola is a commission from a player who already has one of my violas but would like a larger size. He’s a student at the Royal Academy of Music and has a busy time with competitions and concerts. I’ve made this model several times; it has been really popular with orchestral musicians and at …read more

314: violin based on Antonio Stradivari 1734 ‘Habeneck’

12th August 2019

  This is a lovely project. It’s a commission from close to home, a violinist in Manchester’s Hallé Orchestra who lives quite near me. Philippa had seen one of my violins and heard quite a lot about my work before she visited. When we chatted about what she was looking for, I thought that a …read more

313: Violin based on Paolo Maggini c.1630

5th April 2019

  This is something of a dream commission for me. I’m a big fan of the work of Paolo Maggini and many of my violas in particular are based on his work. He also made a number of violins during his lifetime, some of dimensions which correspond roughly to today’s standard, and some which are …read more

312: Cello based on Francesco Ruggieri 1694

21st March 2019

I met the original of this cello in 2015, when I and three colleagues made a collaborative copy of it for the Royal Northern College in Manchester. The RNCM owns this lovely instrument, and we were lucky to have it to hand while we were working. It’s since joined my repertoire of cello models. This …read more

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Contact Helen

1A Grasmere Road
Sale
Manchester
M33 3QU
UK

helen@helenviolinmaker.com
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0161 972 0839
0044 161 972 0839

Latest from Helen

351: violin based on Guarneri del Gesu 1735 ‘d’Egville’

It's lovely to be back making a new violin after a prolonged period pursuing other violin making … Read More...

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