Violin & Bow Repair and Restoration Workshops

Faculty: Horacio Piñeiro (USA), Jonathan Woolston (UK), Quentin Playfair (Canada)

Music & Sound, with the support of The Sound Post (Toronto), is pleased to offer three weeks of intense violin and bow repair and restoration workshops at The Banff Centre. Workshops will give emerging and mid-career luthiers and bow repairers the opportunity to upgrade their skills through interaction with world- class instructors and each other. Participants will learn subtle and complex repair procedures under close supervision in a supportive and inspiring environment. All instruction will take place in the well-equipped piano restoration workshop at The Banff Centre.

Topics:
Crack Repair: table cracks, rib cracks, back cracks, scroll and pegbox cracks
Lecture on 18th Century Venetian instruments by Jonathan Woolston and Horacio Piñeiro

This advanced level course is designed for emerging and established professional violin repairers. The objectives of the program are as follows:

1. To facilitate the transfer of knowledge and skills from the faculty to the participants by means of lecture/demonstrations and direct supervision during workshop sessions.
2. To assist participants in achieving improved aesthetic and tonal results in their setup work.
3. To stimulate a collegial sharing of questions, ideas, and techniques between participants and faculty, and among all participants.
4. To enable participants to form networks and friendships with professional colleagues, which will be of lasting value after the course ends.

The very low faculty to participant ratio of about 3 to 1 will enable close supervision and interaction during workshop sessions. Plenty of time will be provided for questions and for group discussion of issues that arise.

Participants are to bring violins and/or violas requiring set-up or adjustment, plus applicable parts. A detailed list of required materials and tools will be circulated to all those attending.

Participants are welcome to apply for individual weeks or any combination of weeks. Music & Sound's Chamber Music program will be in session during the three weeks of the Violin & Bow Repair and Restoration Workshops and there will be opportunities to interact with the musicians and faculty from that program. In addition, the Banff Summer Arts Festival will be in full swing with concerts, presentations, and lectures (free to all workshop participants), on an almost daily basis.