Violin Maker
Fabio Volta
Cremona, Italy
Born and raised in Cremona, Fabio couldn’t run away from the Cremonese violin-making scenario. Combining his passion for playing instruments and his abilities to work with his hands was born his career. His constructive, aesthetic, and acoustic technique has grown considerably after graduation in the violin-making school, reaching professional maturity by learning with great local makers of that time.Read more
Short Bio
Full Name: Fabio Volta
Age: 57
Highlights
Experience: 38 Years
New making style: AntiquedNew
Credentials
Master Maker
Former Violin Making Professor
Graduated from the Antonio Stradivari School of Violin Making in Cremona
Award Holder
Cremonese Traditional Handcraftsmanship
Awards
1988, 3rd place for a viola at Bagnacavallo Competition, Italy
1994, 2nd place for violin at the 7th International Triennale of Cremona, Italy
1994, Medal and Prize for the most valuable violin from the acoustic point of view at the 7th International Triennale of Cremona, Italy
1996, 3rd place for a violin at the International Competition in Mittenwald, Germany
1996, Certificate of Merit for Workmanship for a violin at the VSA Competition in Albuquerque, USA
Locally making
Cremona, Italy
Maker Background
Born in Cremona in 1967, at the age of ten, Fabio began to devote himself to music and woodworking. He frequently attended the workshop of his uncle, a restorer, and the Cremonese luthiers' 'bottega.'At the beginning of the 80s, he enrolled in the "Antonio Stradivari" violin-making school in Cremona. He developed his manual skills during his studies, obtaining a scholarship by the "Walter Stauffer" Foundation. He graduated in 1986 under the guidance of Maestro Ezio Scarrini.
During the school period, he attended and worked with several Cremonese luthiers such as Massimo Negroni, Riccardo Bergonzi, Lorenzo Marchi, and Primo Pistoni. The most important of his masters was Pierangelo Balzarini, with whom he worked for five years from 1990 to 1995. His constructive, aesthetic, and acoustic technique has grown considerably in these years, reaching professional maturity.
From 2000 to 2005, he taught at the Cremona violin-making school, holding professionalizing courses in advanced classes and deepening the volute's construction at a technical and stylistic level.
He owns various original models of great luthiers of the 20th century, such as Garimberti and Stefanini. He used varnish of all kinds (alcohol, oil, and mixed), dedicating a lot of time to studying each of them. He uses pigments extracted by himself, making his varnish warm and natural, usually orange in color on a golden background. Lately, he prefers oil.
Maker Interview
Why did you start making instruments?
Very early in life, I began to devote myself to music and woodworking. From 10 to 13 years old, I attended my uncle’s restoration workshop, which gave me the ability and passion for work with my hands. This experience, combined with my love to play instruments, started my career as a violin maker.
Why your instruments are so special?
I prefer very seasoned woods, especially for making copies, looking for an ancient sound in the acoustics. I Look for warmth and emotion both in the aesthetics of the work and in classical Cremonese instruments' acoustics.
Each of my instruments is unique and personal without ever deviating from the classic Italian violin-making lines.
What is your inspiration?
I continuously look for new styles and models to construct instruments with different aesthetic characters interpreting different makers from the 18th century, such as Amati, Stradivari, Guarneri, and the 20th-century Ornati, and Garimberti.