Barbara Meyer gives a one hour talk and demonstration introducing the fascinating history of stringed instrument making.

It will focus on the violin and the famous Classical instrument making community in Cremona, Italy between 1550 and 1750. During this period a handful of highly skilled Cremonese families, among them the Amatis, Guarneris, Rugeris and Antonio Stradivari with his sons, created an array of bowed string instruments. Their methods and understanding of proportions and materials have set the precedent for all subsequent instrument makers, up to and including the current generation of luthiers.

With the help of images, wood examples and a small selection of tools visitors will gain an insight into the tradition and see and hear some fine examples from the Academy Museum collection.

The talk will be followed by a tour of the strings floor, which houses our working luthier workshop; visitors will then be free to explore the rest of the museum.