Useful Links
ROWAN ARMOUR-BROWN TRUST Since the inception of the Trust in 1999, it has helped over 200 violin making students from all over the world. Many of these students are now significantly employed in the trade, either on their own account or with leading shops and makers, in the UK and worldwide. Several early award winners now offer work experience placements to current students in their turn.
Financial grants for the purchase of materials and tools, or for specialised additional training
Distribution of wood and tools that have been donated to the Trust
Work experience placements in established professional workshops
If you are interested in benefitting from the work of the trust, or if you would like to donate tools, materials, offer work placements or help support violin making students in other ways, get in touch with www.rabtrust.org
LUTHIERS SANS FRONTIERES (UK) The original LSF (LSF UK’s parent organisation) is a small international charity founded in Belgium in 2001. It began with a violin repair project run by two violin makers in schools in Havana, Cuba. From their experience it was clear that many talented musical children lack properly maintained instruments and bows. LSF was set up to send trained violin and bow repairers to countries where these service are scarce. LSF now has volunteer members from a dozen countries (Belgium, UK, France, Germany, USA, Canada etc.). These volunteers are trained professionals willing to give their time to working holidays helping colleagues repair violins and maintain bows. They have visited Cuba, Haiti, Ecuador, Uganda, Palestine, Congo … LSF UK was set up in 2005 as an associate body to LSF Belgium. We organise our own projects abroad and do our own fundraising. We send volunteers on short term missions to train violin and bow repairers in countries where these services are needed. www.lsf-uk.org
THE INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE OF VIOLIN AND BOW MAKERS FOR ENDANGERED SPECIES. L’Alliance Internationale des Luthiers et Archetiers pour les Espèces Menacées was established in 2017 as a coalition between the major national violin making organisations under the management of the EILA and the AFVBM for the purpose of lobbying at government level for the responsible stewardship of potentially endangered species. Website to follow
National Violin Making Associations
The British Violin Making Association is committed to reaching out across the world to our sister organisations, and to provide a hub for events worldwide. The following list is of organisations by country. Many of these are restricted in their membership according to professional or national rules. The British Violin Making Association however, is open to all those interested in the history and craft of violin making. N.B. We don’t know what all the violin making associations in the world are. If you would like to contribute to our list, please get in contact.
international
ENTENTE INTERNATIONALE DES LUTHIERS ET ARCHETIERS The Society has been created with a view to tightening the bonds of friendship between makers, adopting all the measures necessary to safeguard their working conditions, increasing familiarity with their art, improving the methods of training their pupils and pooling the whole of their resources and skill in order to restore violin making to its pristine greatness. The association has a limited professional membership. In recent years the EILA has taken the lead in lobbying for conservation considerations within the use of endangered species. www.eila.org
THE INTERNATIONAL PERNAMBUCO CONSERVATION INITIATIVE The International Pernambuco Conservation Initiative USA
is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the conservation and sustainable use of Caesalpinia echinata, Brazil's national tree, commonly known as pau brasil or pernambuco. Pernambuco has been used in the making of bows for over 250 years, enhancing the performance of stringed music for generations. The wood's native habitat in Brazil's Atlantic Rainforest has been reduced to fragments of its original extent. Today, pernambuco is increasingly rare and endangered in many areas of its native habitat. IPCI is working to ensure the future of stringed instrument music by increasing scientific knowledge of pernambuco and restoring the species as a fundamental part of the Brazilian landscape. We support research, replanting programs, educational outreach and other conservation measures.
IPCI DEUTSCHLAND http://www.ipci-deutschland.org
IPCI USA http://www.ipci-usa.org
AUSTRALIA
AUSTRALIAN VIOLIN MAKERS ASSOCIATION was founded in 2008 to promote a standard of excellence in craftsmanship and ethical behaviour that would instil confidence and trust within the musical community of Australia. The AVMA represents the most accomplished makers, dealers and restorers in Australia and has strict membership requirements. Prospective members are required to submit a specific example of work for peer review and have a minimum of nine years experience in the profession. www.avma.org.au
AUSTRIA
VEREIN ÖSTERREICHISCHER GEIGEN- UND BOGENMACHERMEISTER - http://www.geigenbauverband.at
FRANCE
ALADFI L’Association des Luthiers et Archetiers pour le Développement de la Facture Instrumentale The Association of Luthiers and Archers for the Development of the Instrumental Invoice of the quartet, ALADFI, was created in 1982 under the impetus of a group of luthiers and bow makers, both restorers and manufacturers, united by the will to propose an alternative approach to the profession, to make their work known to musicians, to promote contemporary instrumental work and to encourage the practice of music. www.aladfi.com
germany
VERBAND DEUTSCHER GEIGENBAUER UND BOGENMACHER A.V. is the professional organisation of German violin makers, and membership is strictly limited according to training and accreditation. However, the VDGB holds regular events that are open to a wider audience beyond it’s immediate membership. https://www.geigenbauerverband.de
EBEN!HOLZ A.v. is a coalition of German violin makers dedicated to sustainable outcomes for the use of ebony within the craft of musical instrument making. In collaboration with other organisations they have enabled the replanting and sustainable stewardship of ebony forests in Madagascar. http://www.eben-holz.org
great britain
MERTON INSTRUMENT MAKING ASSOCIATION exists to provide peer support between those studying guitar and violin making at Merton College, London by sharing resources and organising relevant trips/events/talks. Alongside this we also aim to promote the courses to potential students. https://www.mertoninstrumentmaking.com
netherlands
DUTCH ASSOCIATION OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MAKERS The association was founded in 1993 and represents a broad group of Dutch professional builders of acoustic musical instruments, such as wind instruments, string and plucked instruments and keyboard instruments. Membership of the NVMM is open to musical instrument makers established in the Netherlands who meet the conditions of professionalism, as described in the articles of association of the association. www.de-nvmm.nl
united states of america
VIOLIN SOCIETY OF AMERICA has a similar philosophy to the BVMA and is open to everyone with an interest in the craft and history of the violin. It holds annual conventions which are the biggest in the world, and publishes a scholarly journal, now online as VSA Papers that are free to download. It also published the quarterly Scroll. The VSA also organises the world-famous Oberlin Workshops. Many members of the BVMA are also members of the VSA and vice-versa. We provide complimentary perspectives for violin makers around the world. www.vsaweb.org
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF VIOLIN AND BOW MAKERS is dedicated to the ethical practice of craftsmanship, conservation, education, expertise and outreach. It is a professional organisation with a strict criteria for membership. www.afvbm.org
SOUTHERN VIOLIN MAKING ASSOCIATION A not-for-profit organization to promote the art and science of making, repairing, and preserving musical instruments of the violin family and their bows, including study of the history, players, literature, materials, construction practices and acoustics of such instruments. The Association holds makers’ competitions, furthers research, publishes papers and journals and sponsors assemblies of violin experts, makers, and players. The term “violin” includes reference to violas, cellos, basses, their bows and related stringed instruments played with a bow. www.southernviolinassociation.com
VIOLIN MAKING ASSOCIATION OF ARIZONA is like the BVMA in that it boasts members from far broader a part of the world than its name would suggest as a result of the popularity of it’s annual convention and competition. www.vmaai.org
switzerland
SCHWEIZER VERBAND DER GEIGENBAUER UND BOGENMACHER - http://www.geigenbauer.ch/
SWEDEN
SVERIGES VIOLINBYGGARMÄSTARE - http://www.violinbyggarmastarna.se
SOCIETIES FOR STRING PLAYERS IN BRITAIN
THE LONDON CELLO SOCIETY The London Cello Society promotes the art of cello playing, preserving its great traditions while encouraging its continuing development. The Society exists for the benefit of young students, professional players and teachers, for amateur players and lovers of the cello and its repertoire. www.londoncellos.org
THE BRITISH VIOLA SOCIETY The society exists for the benefit of violists and aficionados of the instrument. It has expanded to become the British Viola Society with charitable objectives, aiming to support, promote and encourage every aspect of playing, teaching, composing and research relevant to the viola in Great Britain. https://www.britishviolasociety.co.uk
EUROPEAN STRING TEACHERS ASSOCIATION is a non-governmental organisation founded in 1972 in order to promote the highest standards in teaching and to enable the sharing of ideas among string teachers and players of all distinctions throughout Europe. www.estastrings.org