Open call for the second edition of the Violin Making Master Program

String instruments are still being crafted in the wedding house and first workshop of Antonio Stradivari in Cremona, recently restored and enhanced.

The second Violin Making Master Program (2025–2027), organized by the Casa Stradivari Foundation in collaboration with the Museo del Violino and the Municipality of Cremona, will officially begin on October 30, 2025, in line with the Plan for the Safeguarding of Traditional Cremonese Violin Craftsmanship, inscribed by UNESCO on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Over the course of eighteen months, young artisan talents will take on the challenge of building string instruments according to the historical Cremonese method, under the guidance of master luthiers Davide Sora, Marcello Ive, and Primo Pistoni.

Each participant selected for the Violin Making Master Program at Casa Stradivari will craft two violins, one viola, and one cello, and will have the opportunity to refine their skills thanks to constant collaboration with Casa Stradivari’s musician students and internationally renowned artists hosted in residence.

The instruments forming a classical string quartet will be played and tested in a continuous dialogue between violin makers and musicians. The relationship between luthiers and performers remains one of the fundamental elements of Casa Stradivari’s educational approach, faithfully reflecting the working method Stradivari himself sought in his time.

For this reason, complementing the in-depth learning experience, the Violin Making Master Program is accompanied by a program dedicated to young musical talents.

Throughout the program, participants will also engage in thematic workshops on the historical tradition of violin making, acoustics, and instrument setup with Maestro Robert Brewer Young (J&A Beare), as well as a specialized module on material chemistry and varnishing, organized in collaboration with CRForma Cremona and led by Curzio Merlo.

To participate in the selection process, aspiring students must submit their applications by September 30, 2025.

More information here.