Thank you to the first eleven Master Luthiers that have joined The String Circle, the first netwrok enhancing the high-quality lutherie and supporting the career of young musiciand in a circular economy.
Luca Baratto (Cremona, Italy): In 2001 Luca left the famous Prosecco Hills of Valdobbiadene to follow his passion for violin making in Cremona, where he attended the prestigious International School for Lutherie “A.Stradivari”, graduating in 2006. He works for Carlson & Neumann Cremona, a renowned conservation and restoration workshop for historical instruments, perfecting his construction and restoration skills.
Michele Buccellè (Acquanegra Cremonese, CR, Italy): After graduating at the International School of Lutherie “A. Stradivari” of Cremona in 2000 under teh guidance of M° Massimo Negroni and M° Wanna Zambelli, he worked untile 2010 in the workshop of M° Maurizio Tadioli where he perfected his manual ability and style. At present he dedicates himself mainly to construction, studying and being inspired by the great instruments of the past, experimenting with various construction methods.
Stefano Conia (Cremona, Italy): “My goal has always been one: to manufacture more instruments than Stradivari did” and he’s not too far from the goal. Stefano Conia, born in 1946, is one of the representatives of contemporary Cremonese violinmaking, one of the founders of the renewed violinmaking tradition, reborn under the sign of Stradivari. Hungarian by origin, his father was a luthier himself. Today, Stefano Conia shares the workshop in Corso Garibaldi in Cremona with his son.
Ulrike Dederer (Zurich, Switzerland): In 1989 she began her violin making training at the International School of Lutherie “A. Stradivari” in Cremona, under Vincenzo Bissolotti in 1989, receiving her diploma in 1993. After 12 years of working as a maker and restorer, she opened her own workshop in 2005, where she focuses on making violins, violas and cellos in modern and baroque set-up. In 2012 she won gold medal for her viola at the XIII Concorso Triennale degli strumenti ad arco «Antonio Stradivari» in Cremona – the first female maker to have been awarded a gold medal in the history of the Concorso.
Mira Gruszow e Gideon Baumblatt (Werder, Germany): The construction of a singing instrument has fascinated Gideon Baumblatt and Mira Gruszow from the very beginning and brought them to Cremona at a young age. It’s their common starting point on a path that took them to very different places and experiences and eventually reunited them on this quest after many years. While Mira Gruszow finished her diploma at the International School of Lutherie “A. Stradivari” in Cremona, Gideon Baumblatt completed his education at the Mittenwald school (Germany). When they reunited in Montreal (Canada), they decided very naturally to put all their skills together and commit themselves entirely to making new instruments.
Gawang Jung, (Cremona, Italy)
Born in Incheon (South Korea) in 1990, in 2012 he entered the International School of Lutherie “A. Stradivari” of Cremona school directly into the third-year class, and graduated in 2015 under the guidance of M° Massimo Ardoli.
In 2016 he began his formative apprenticeship in the workshop of M° Francesco Toto, where he stayed on to work till 2022, when he decided to work as an independent freelancer on his own.
Marco Nolli (Cremona, Italy): Graduated in 1983 at the International School “A. Stradivari” in Cremona, under the guidance of M° Giorgio Scolari and M° Stefano Conia, he then studied at the workshop of M° Scolari where he trained his stylistic personality. He successfully took part in prestigious Italian and International Luthiers competitions, obtaining numerous awards and artistic recognitions.
Emilio e Luca Slaviero (Cremona, Italy): Two hundred and twenty years of bow-making history represent for Emilio and Luca Slaviero the foundations from which to start the search for a new and modern imprint, marked by the important combination of conviction, commitment, an open mind and a constant availability in terms of time and dedication.
Stefano Trabucchi (Cremona, Italy): After graduating in 1988 at the International School of Lutherie “A. Stradivari” of Cremona, under the guidance of M° Negroni, M° Amighetti and M° Conia, he opened his own workshop in 1992 in the center of Cremona. He has participated for several years to the most important trade fairs and he curates the collection of musical instruments (including a Stradivari cello) of the prestigious Accademia Chigiana in Siena. He holds the position of president of the luthiers’ group of Confartigianato imprese, and is a member of the scientific committee of the Museo del Violino and of the School of Lutherie.
