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, this historic industry continues to exist largely thanks to artisans from all corners of the globe carrying it forward. 

Approximately 50% of the more than 300 violin makers in town, along with 70% of the 170 students at Cremona’s International Violin Making School, come from outside of 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 Spanish violin maker, “Without international talent moving to Cremona, the Italian violin industry would already be extinct” .

The vast majority of buyers are also located outside of Italy, with Japan and South Korea emerging as the primary destinations for Cremona-made masterpieces. "There is a strong interest in classical music in those countries, starting from the musical education taught in school” says Angelo Sperzaga, Vice-Director of the International Violin Making School. “Some might find this surprising, but nowadays in Italy there isn’t as much interest in the genre."

Setting up in Cremona hasn’t always been easy for international violin makers. The strong appeal of the 'Made in Italy' brand often worked against artisans with foreign-sounding names, forcing many to Italianize their names in order to sell their instruments. However, things have changed, according to Takahashi: “Today, most buyers recognize that exceptional instruments are being crafted in Italy by international artisans”.