Maker Background
Mattia Riva is an expert luthier and restorer, crafting violins, violas, and cellos in his workshop in Varese, Italy.
He has also been teaching bow-making workshops at the Civica Scuola di Liuteria in Milan since 2017.
Mattia Riva he has been dedicated to violin making, focusing on both the construction and restoration of violins, violas, and cellos, since 1996. His expertise lies in crafting and preserving instruments from the classical string quartet tradition. He trained at the Civica Scuola di Liuteria in Milan, where he studied under Maestro Luca Primon and earned his diploma as a Luthier and Restorer. After completing his studies, he worked alongside Maestro Marco Piccinotti before collaborating with Maestro Gabriele Negri, with whom he shares a passion for 20th-century Milanese violin making. Between 2000 and 2005, he further refined his skills by attending specialized courses, particularly in restoration, under the mentorship of Masters Carlos Arcieri and Gabriele Negri at the Accademia Perosi in Biella. Over the years, he expanded his expertise in various aspects of violin making, studying varnishing techniques, bow repair and rehairing, acoustic adjustments, and advanced methods for analyzing historical instruments using RTV resins. Since 2005, he has been participating in major international competitions and exhibitions in Cremona, Frankfurt, Mittenwald, Moscow, Poznań, Paris, Shanghai, and Tokyo, establishing collaborations with renowned international partners. His craftsmanship has earned him several prestigious awards, including the gold medal for cello at the 4th ANLAI National Professional Competition in Pisogne (BS) in 2010 and the gold medal for violin (master copies category) at the 2nd ANLAI International Professional Competition in Pisogne (BS) in 2011. In addition to his work as a luthier, he has been teaching bow-making workshops at the Civica Scuola di Liuteria in Milan since 2017. He currently lives and works in Varese, where he continues to craft, restore, and refine fine string instruments.
