Contemporary Maker

Violin Maker
Luiz Amorim

Cremona, Italy

With a sensitive eye for nature’s shapes, textures, and proportions, Luiz Amorim has dedicated his career to the pursuit of exceptional sound, refined craftsmanship, and impeccable aesthetics. Today, he is recognised a... Read more

Maker Background

With a sensitive eye for nature’s shapes, textures, and proportions, Luiz Amorim has dedicated his career to the pursuit of exceptional sound, refined craftsmanship, and impeccable aesthetics. Today, he is recognised among the world’s leading contemporary violin makers, with instruments sought after by distinguished musicians and collectors internationally.

Born in Curitiba, Brazil, in 1964, Luiz initially studied Mechanics, focusing on technical drawing and design. In 1985, he completed a Bachelor of Arts in Drawing, Painting and Sculpture at the State School of Music and Fine Arts. He subsequently spent ten years as a professional artist, developing the eye for form and detail that would become fundamental to his work as a violin maker.

In 2001, Luiz established his own workshop, where he developed a practice encompassing violin making, restoration, and the study of historical instruments. His extensive knowledge of rare Italian instruments and their construction has become an essential part of his work, informing both his approach to restoration and the creation of new instruments inspired by the great Italian masters.

In 2018, Luiz opened the workshop’s headquarters in Cremona, the historic home of Italian violin making. From there, he continues to create instruments for musicians and collectors around the world, with a long waiting list reflecting the demand for his work.

Among the distinguished musicians who have chosen his instruments is violinist Leonidas Kavakos, with whom Luiz collaborated on the Signature Series, a limited collection inspired by a Stradivari model.

Another landmark project was Il Cannone Giramondo, a faithful modern copy of Paganini’s celebrated Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ Il Cannone. Signed by 27 leading violinists, the instrument was auctioned in 2022 for €54,000, with the full proceeds donated to Instituto Baccarelli to support music education for more than 1,200 children.

Luiz’s work represents a dialogue between the heritage of historic Italian violin making and a distinctly contemporary approach to craftsmanship, combining deep technical knowledge with an artist’s sensitivity to form, material, and sound.

In Their Own Words

A Conversation

Q: Why did you start making instruments?

I've always had the desire to work transforming materials with my hands. After establishing a career as an artist for ten years, I fell in love with an instrument called "kantele" used by children in musical initiation in schools of anthroposophical philosophy.

I started making these instruments and lyres in 1995 - by this same time, I was learning how to play violin and cello. In 1998, I felt the need to be in the classical music scenario, so I looked for someone who could give me a sense of making instruments from the violin family. Through this search, I met the person who later became my master of lutherie.

Q: Why your instruments are so special?

Because for me, every detail matters – I give full attention to all processes from raw material choices to set-up. My goal is to keep improving, and it is in my nature to be always concerned about searching for new ways to do it and never to stop evolving. Finally, I hear my clients’ opinions and critics and consider them in my work.

In the end, my instruments express the dedication and love I have for each one of them.

Q: What is your inspiration?

I am inspired by the great Italian masters of the past, especially Guarneri 'del Gesù.'

My inspiration in Guarneri started due to the expressiveness of his instruments. Throughout the career of "del Gesù," his work became increasingly expressive, especially at the end, when he managed to demonstrate, as in a work of art, his identity.

Guarneri did not produce an instrument like the other, and this clearly shows his inventive and free character, placing his identity in each one of them. He had expressive features that could be easily distinguished, unlike most of his colleagues at the time. It is essential to have this freedom of expression and not to be tied to the aesthetic form. Guarneri was an artist, and I identify myself a lot for that.

Q: What famous people play your instruments?

Musicians like, Leonidas Kavakos, Giuseppe Gibboni, Eric Silberger, Antonio Meneses, Elmar Oliveira, Daniel Muller-Schott, Emmanuele Baldini, Claudio Cruz, Sean, Lauren & David Carpenter.

Interested in instruments by this maker?

Amorim Fine Violins can guide you through available pieces, private opportunities and instruments related to Luiz Amorim's work.

Curated by Amorim

More than a listing, a considered choice

Every maker we represent is selected on technical, historical and commercial grounds. Each instrument is examined, documented and presented with the same care given to a Stradivari from our own collection. Our role is consultative: we help you find the right instrument, not simply the one that is for sale.

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Luiz Amorim — Cremona, Italy

Whether you are exploring an acquisition, considering a commission or simply curious about Luiz Amorim's work, our team in Cremona is happy to guide the conversation. Every inquiry is personal — no obligations, no pressure.