Violin makers

Since the 16th century, the quaint Italian town of Cremona has stood as a global center for violin craftsmanship. Here lived and worked the legendary Antonio Stradivari, the most famous luthier of all time, whose Stradivarius violins fetch millions at auctions.

But today the legacy of Cremona and Stradivari is upheld by artisans from around the globe. Approximately half of the over 300 violin makers in town, and 70% of the 170 students at the International Violin Making School hail from outside Italy.

“You can build a violin anywhere, but the essence of this art is deeply rooted in this land” says master luthier Shuichi Takahashi, who’s originally from Japan.

According to Laura Guijarro, a violin maker from Spain, “Without international talent moving to Cremona, the italian violin industry would already be extinct”