Marcello Villa was born in Monza in 1965, and lives and works in Cremona. He began studying violin when he was twelve, later enrolling in the International School of Violin-making in Cremona.
He graduated in 1983 obtaining the highest possible merit in his final year, a scholarship from the Walter Stauffer Foundation. Eventually, Marcello Villa was awarded the following prizes:
– Finalist in the Poznan Competition (1986)
– Gold medal at the Bagnacavallo Young Violinmaker’s Competition (1986)
– Gold medal at the Baveno Competition (1987)
– Gold medal for the quartet presented in the Bagnacavallo Violinmaking Exposition (1990)
– Silver medal at the 6th Violinmaking Triennal Competition in Cremona (1991)
– Two Gold medals for violin and cello in the Bagnacavallo Exposition (1992).
In 2009, after many years, he took part in two international competitions: Violinmaking Triennial Competition in Cremona and “Eufonia 2009” Violinmaking International Competition in Sofia-Brusselles.
In these places he won the following prizes:
-Association of Luthiers of Italy prize – silver plate ”for the high personality…” on Violinmaking Triennial Competition in Cremona
-First prize in “Eufonia 2009” Violinmaking Competition
-Gold medal and Certificate from the World Intellectual Property Organisation in “Eufonia 2009” Violinmaking Competition
-Association of Luthiers of Italy prize – silver plate in “Eufonia 2009” Violinmaking Competition
In 2011 he won the Gold medal A.N.L.A.I. at the V° National Violinmaking Competition in Pisogne (BS).
In 2013 he won a Gold medal with a violin and the Prize for the best acustic quality with a viola at the VII National Violinmaking Competition A.N.L.A.I. in Mozzate (Co).
In 2015 he won a Gold medal with a violin and a Gold medal with a Gold medal with a cello at the IX National Violinmaking Competition A.N.L.A.I.
In 2016 he won a Gold medal with a violin and a Gold medal with a cello at the X National Violinmaking Competition A.N.L.A.I.
Marcello Villa makes violins, violas and cellos, particularly favouring Cremonese classical models: Stradivari, Guarneri “del Gesù”, Amati. His main interest, however, which began to emerge during the first formative years of his career, is the reproduction of Stradivarian inlaid instruments, which he believes to be the quintessence of artistic and technical perfection.
From 1983, the year in which he built his first inlaid violin, preserved in the Museum of the International School of Violin-making in Cremona, and until the present day, he has made copies of the Hellier, Ole Bull, Sunrise, Cipriani Potter, Rode, Greffhule violins and of the Spanish and Axelrod violas.
A decorated quartet by Marcello Villa inspired to Axelrod Strad Quartet is part of Cremona Civic Violinmaking Collections.
Vittorio Villa was born in Monza in 1961. He has a Conservatory Diploma in Violin playing and has performed as a violinist with important Italian orchestras such as the orchestra of the Verona Arena and the Angelicum orchestra of Milan.
He obtained the Diploma of violinmaker at the International Violin-making School of Cremona under the guidance of his brother Marcello Villa.
Also teacher at the same institute, he furthermore had the opportunity to research the aspects of physical acoustics in the field of bowed instruments. It is due to this background, both as a performer and as a researcher, that Vittorio Villa's instruments are sought after by musicians for their sound quality in addition to their fine workmanship.
Vittorio Villa, finalist in several Italian and international violin making competitions (City of Bagnacavallo, A. Stradivari Cremona, City of Baveno), prefers to base his work on the classic Stradivari, Guarneri and Amati patterns and he also builds reproductions of famous antique instruments. His varnish is of a trasparent dark-orange color. At present working with his brother MarcelloVilla in their Cremona workshop, he also at times still plays in local chamber ensembles.
Vittorio Villa's instruments are appreciated and used by many professional orchestra and chamber music players and soloists all over the world.
Daniele Scolari is a true Cremonese. He attended the Cremona International Violin Making School, where he was a pupil of Master Giobatta Morassi. He graduated in 1979, and since 1982 he has been working with his brother Giorgio.
The instruments which he makes are inspired by the classic Cremonese school of violin making, in particular models by Stradivari and Guarneri, picking only the highest quality materials. His instruments (violins, violas, and cellos) are appreciated in Italy and abroad, especially in Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, for both his care in details and his personalized style along with his varnish which is of a brownish-orange color.
In 1984 he won the gold medal for the best varnish at the 'Bagnacavallo Competition', in 1986 a silver medal for one of his violins and in 1988 two bronze medals with a violin and a viola. He also took part in some of the 'Triennali Competitions' in Cremona, always receiving superior results. He was member of the jury at III° (2009) and VII° (2013) 'National Competition of Violin Making' in Pisogne (BS) and Mozzate (CO), organized by A.N.L.A.I. Association.
He is a teacher of “Manifacture and Varnishing” in Cremona’s International School of Violin Making since 1996.
In addition to violin making, he has always been fond of music with much experience in many fields, ranging from pop music to liturgical organ playing. He is also a director of a vocal and instrumental group, with which he continues to have as much spirit in searching new things and need for enrichment, as when he builds his instruments.
Guido Trotta was born in 1962 in Genoa, Italy. After the scientific high school, he attended a biennial course of professional training in violin making under the direction of Claudio Amighetti,Piergiuseppe Esposti and Sandro Soldi. Then he moved in Cremona where he worked for 5 years in the Piergiuseppe Esposti's workshop, improving his experience. Since 1990 he has been making violins,violas and cellos with the full respect of Cremonese classic tradition. His instruments are appreciatd and used by many professional musicians such as those in BBC Philharmonic and NHK symphony orchestra.
Absolute genuineness, care in workmanship and material selection are his characteristics.
Fabrizio Portanti was born in Cremona in 1963. He dedicates special attention to the sound quality of his instruments, using personally seasoned wood and a special spirit varnish prepared in his laboratory.
He graduated from the International School of Violin-making in Cremona in 1981 under the guidance of Master Wanna Zambelli. After graduation, for 5 years, he attended the laboratory of Gio Batta Morassi perfecting his style and honing his skills. Now in his workshop in Via Aselli 37 in Cremona he makes violins, violas and cellos on personal models inspired by classical Cremonese violin making.
He has taken part in several international competitions winning:
- Silver medal for a violin at the 6th International Triennal in Cremona in 1991
- Gold medal for the first place in the Tchaikowky International Competition in Moscow for best violin in 1994.
Riccardo Bergonzi lives and works in Cremona. In 1979 he graduated from the Cremona School of Violinmaking and was awarded the Gold Medal “G. Merola” as the best pupil of the school. For 10 years he was a teacher at the Cremona International School of Violinmaking.
Over the years Riccardo Bergonzi has participated and been recognized in major national and international competitions: 1976 Gold Medal at the Bagnacavallo exhibition as “youngest violin-maker”; 1988 Gold Medal at the Bagnacavallo exhibition as “best violin” with special mention for the varnish; 1990 Gold Medal at the Bagnacavallo exhibition for his cello; 1991 Cremona International Triennale: his instrument is first in the viola category.
Riccardo pays particular attention to set up and sound; his craftmanship is recognized all over the world.
Along with his activity as violinmaker Riccardo Bergonzi is also a painter and a sculptor, working with wood and bronze. This interest for art is undoubtedly an important complement to the activity of violinmaking, contributing to the study of forms by a richer and more personal touch.
Daniele Tonarelli was born in Cremona in 1976.He graduated at the International School of Violinmaking in 1994, under the guidance of Master Giorgio Scolari. Until 1997, he dedicated himself in improving his style and technique in Master Marco Nolli workshop.
Now he is working in his laboratory in Cremona. He has taken part in various competition, such as Baveno (1993 and 1997); Bagnacavallo (1992 and 1996), where he earned some honorable mentions; Moscow (1998), where his instruments were ranked high. In 2000, 2003 and 2009 he took part in the Ente Triennale International Competition of Violinmaking in Cremona.
His instruments are made following the classic Cremonese tradition; in his works, he usually uses a brilliant and transparent varnish and also chooses selected tools paying great attention to the tonal qualities.
His instruments are favored by many famous violin shops in Europe and in the US.
Pablo Farias was born in Santiago del Estero, in the north of Argentina. In 1995 he enrolled in the violinmaking school of the “Universidad Nacional del Tucumán” where he graduated with the title of “Maestro Tecnico Luthier”.
After a few years of work in his city, in Tucumán and in Cordoba, he moved to Italy and attended the International School of Violinmaking in Cremona (I.P.I.A.L.L. “Antonio Stradivari”).
During the school year 2003/2004 he got the prize “Grandi – Taglietti” as the best student “Operatore di Liuteria”.
In 2005 he was in a post graduated specialization course of “Maintenance of bows for Stringed Instruments” at C.F.P. in Cremona (professional Training Centre).
He graduated in 2006 at I.P.I.A.L.L. under Master Alessandro Voltini’s guidance with whom he specialized. In 2008 he attended the course IFTS “Tecnico Superiore di Liuteria Barocca” (Advanced Technician of Baroque violin making) under the guidance of Mathijs Heyligers, Pierre Bohr, Antonino Airenti and Emilio Slaviero.
In 2009 he won the second prize in Pisogne (Italy) with a violin during the “3° Concorso Nazionale di Liuteria Città di Pisogne”. He now lives and works in Cremona.
Adriano Spadoni was born in Moscow (Russia) on October 26th, 1978. At the age of 9 he made his first approach to music when he attended a cello course under the supervision of Pavlutskaja Natalija, who is now a teacher at Trinity College of Music in London.
During the course, which lasted 7 years, he studied music theory, musical culture and the piano.
In 1993, at the end of his secondary school studies, he enrolled with the Institute of Restorers and Engravers of Wooden Works in Moscow, where he learned decorative techniques for works in wood and developed his bent for the construction of stringed instruments. He graduated with honors in 1996.
In September 1996 he moved to Cremona, native city of world-wide violinmaking, in order to learn the ancient art of making stringed instruments, and started to attend the prestigious school of violinmaking, the I.P.I.I.A.L. Antonio Stradivari. In June 1999 he obtained his diploma as a violin maker, under the supervision of Master Giorgio Cè, one of the most successful violinmakers in Cremona (winner of the 1976 First Triennial competition of Cremona, in the violin division). He also had as teachers: M. Tadioli, M. Negroni, P. Pistoni, H. Lois., A. Voltini, C. Amighetti, T. Matsushita, E. Slaviero for the restoration and the construction of strings.
In September of the same year, he started training in the workshop of Katharina Abbhul and Alessandro Krilovi, where he learned new techniques of construction and painting of stringed instruments, with the strong influence of the classical traditions of Cremona violin making. This radically changed his perspective of violinmaking, and modified his way of working.
At the same time, in September 1999, he decided to enter the Faculty of Musicology of the University of Pavia, attending the detached department in Cremona, where he developed his knowledge of the history of music and lute-making and increased his theoretical musical training.
Over the next 5 years Adriano dedicated himself to these university studies, passing most of the exams with good marks, and to his own work on the construction of stringed instruments, especially violins. He associated with and co-operated with several workshops in Cremona until September 2004, when he started working in the lab of Edgar Russ, one of the most important in Cremona.
In this workshop he largely dedicated himself to painting, assembly and adjustment of instruments, giving the utmost attention to this production stage, while devoting himself to improving the acoustic level of his instruments.
In June 2006 Adriano took part in the 2nd edition of the Event “CREMONA-KREMLINO”, with his copy of the famous “Lord Wilton 1742” of Guarneri del Gesù.
In October 2006 he participated in the 11th International Triennial Competition of Stringed Instruments, in the category of violas, obtaining 16th place out of 83 competitors. His instrument was highly appreciated, especially for its sound level, collecting most of the votes of the jury.
In June 2007 he took part in the 5th Tchaikovskii Competition in Moscow, in the category of violins, making an instrument in the style of the “Betts 1704” by A. Stradivari. He obtained good results and took 2nd place.
Marcin Krupa was born in Poznan, Poland in 1977. From 1984 to 1990 he attended the State Primary Music School. H. Wieniawski in Poznan, learning to play the violin. In 1996 he graduated from the State Secondary Music School. M. Karłowicza in Poznan in the class of violin making. In 2002. he got a diploma and a Master of Arts in violin-making art at the Academy of Music. In 2001 and 2002, he attended violin-making workshop in the German smyczkarza Gregor Walbrodta in Berlin. He has participated in many international violinmaking competition winning top prizes including:
2nd place for a viola at 1998 International Tchaikovsky violinmaking competition
1st place for a cello at the 2004 National Kaminiski violinmaking competition
3rd place for a violin (no 1st place) at 2006 Cremona Triennale competition
3rd place for a viola at 2009 Eufonia competition
actual 3rd place for a violin (no 1st place) at 2015 Cremona Triennale competition
actual 3rd place for a cello (no 1st place) at 2015 Cremona Triennale competition
6th place for a violin at 2012 Wieniawski violin making competition
5th place for a violin at 2016 Wieniawski violin making competition