Links to West Dean College:
https://www.westdean.org.uk/study/themes/Music-Study-and-Events
Course Leaders:
WARREN BAILEY, GUDRUN KREMEIER, ALMUTH MACWILLIAMS (Violin Restoration)
EVAN ORMAN and TIM BAKER (Bow making)
DEREK WILSON (Bow restoration)
Course co-ordinator:
ROGER ROSE
INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE
The BVMA has organised professional development courses at West Dean for violin and bow restorers since 2006. They haveproved popular with independent professionals and those who work in violin and bow shops. The course aims to extend your knowledge of new techniques and introduce you to a network of other people in workshops around the world with similar interests and problems. With the workshops available until 10pm, there is the opportunity to complete enough work to recover a significant part of the course fees.
This year we welcome Warren Bailey, Gudrun Kremeier and Almuth MacWilliams for violin restoration; and on the bow side,Derek Wilson for bow restoration and Evan Orman and Tim Baker for bow making.
SYLLABUS
This is a project based course and the focus will be on restoration techniques. Students are requested to bring instruments and bows to work on. Teaching will be in free seminar form, based on students’ own interests and projects.
The bow making course is intended for established makers prepared to share their ideas with like-minded makers. Students will be encouraged to bring part-made bows, so time can be spent on playing qualities, style, and working methods.
The bow restoration course will focus on making frogs and adjusters in those styles which are of greatest interest to the students. If notified beforehand, tutors will try to ensure original examples are available. Students are encouraged to bring their own work, especially any difficult repairs on which they would like to concentrate.
THE TUTORS
Warren Bailey
Warren has proved to be very popular with students in the past, having taught on the 2017 BVMA Course. He now works as an independentviolin restorer in Canada, having previously worked for Phillip Brown Violins and J & A Beare in London.
Warren has many years of experience and is a very good addition to the BVMA Restoration Course team.
Gudrun Kremeier
Gudrun graduated from the Violin Making School in Mittenwald in 1992 and worked for Vincent Loerakker in Haarlem and Max Möller in Amsterdam. For over 20 years she has worked for Andreas Post. She enjoys the combination of major restoration work and making new instruments, finding inspiration from one discipline to the other, keeping her work fresh. Every year Gudrun is at the Violin Society of America’s new making workshop in Oberlin and has been a tutor for the BVMA Restoration Course several times before.
Almuth McWilliams
Almuth is new to teaching on the BVMA Restoration Course, although she has been a student on the course in past years. After graduating from college, Almuth has spent a number of years working as a violin restorer at a high level, working with Daniel Kogge and Yves Gateau in their Berlin workshop.
Evan Orman
After a formal training as a string player, Evan developed his fascination with instrument making, specialising in bow making, while learning his skills at the Oberlin summer bow making workshops, which gave him the opportunity to study with many gifted bowmakers. In 1996 he began working with Rock Eggan in Denver, before moving to his own Denver shop re-hairing, repairing and restoring bows.
Derek Wilson
Derek trained as a bow maker and repairer at WE Hill & Sons. He then moved to Munich, working for Peter Benedek making and restoring bows. He returned to the UK in 1991 to set up his own business. More recently he has also been working part time for J&A Beare.
Tim Baker
Tim trained at the Newark School of Violin Making, worked initially for WE Hill & Sons and then for many years at J&A Beare as a bow maker and restorer. He has worked independently since 2001 and has been a judge on international juries and a regular contributor to the Oberlin summer school.
TOOLS & MATERIALS
Larger machines, a bow lathe and a milling machine will be available at the College. Participants will need to bring their own restoration projects to work on, together with hand tools and a selection of restoration materials. Some additional restoration materials will be available for sale. We can offer some advice and assistance if you do not have a suitable restoration project.
BOOKING INFORMATION
The course can be booked from 10th October 2018 through West Dean College. Details and booking on their website at www.westdean.org.uk
Tel: +44(0)1243 818300
Email: bookingsoffice@westdean.org.uk
The course codes:
SBV08652 FOR VIOLIN RESTORATION
SBV08653 FOR BOW MAKING and RESTORATION
Links to West Dean College:
https://www.westdean.org.uk/study/themes/Music-Study-and-Events