Philosophy
Relying on the methods and principles of the master violinmakers from the 17th and 18th centuries, my unique training experience and my apprenticeship with the modern master violinmaker Arthur Toman, my goal with each step in the making process is to achieve the highest quality in every instrument.
Being a musical instrument dictates that a violin must, above all, allow the musician to produce the best and most appropriate sound without any hindrance. It must produce the proper feedback to the player through the sound under the ear, the feedback through the bow and the strings under the fingers. To achieve this, attention to detail needs to happen at every stage from wood selection to construction through set-up.
The construction and materials need to be sound and of the highest quality. While playing, the reliability of the instrument should not even enter the thoughts of the musician. Traditional making techniques have been tried and tested and have proven to be the best balance of strength and resonance while still allowing for any needed repairs in the future.
Varnish is what started my headlong journey into violin making. After college, I was working as a chemist at Brookhaven National Laboratories in Long Island New York. While there, I was surrounded by the worlds most prominent scientists. At the time I was making instruments as a hobby and one of my colleagues brought me some articles about the “lost secrets” of the Cremonese varnish. It lead to an obsession with making and I soon found myself applying to the North Bennet Street School violinmaking department. Over the next 5 years, I put extensive efforts into developing my varnish. My goal was to emulate the varnishes of the 17th and 18th centuries. They are beautiful, they have proven the test of time and they have all the qualities required for a high end instrument. The varnish must make chemical sense enough for me to feel comfortable with its longevity. It must produce a film that has the properties needed to support the sound of the instrument. I have been using the same basic varnish now for over 10 years and am very pleased with how it looks, acts and ages.
I will service any of my instruments for life or if you prefer, I will pay to have them serviced by your local luthier. This is for both the player and for myself. It allows me the chance to see how the instruments are aging and ensures that my instruments are representing me as best they can.