Exhibitions

The Guild of Swedish Violin Makers and its members often organize exhibitions for musician and the general public.

The exhibition ”Bring me a good fiddle” in Rättvik, 2004

The first exhibition organized by the Guild, ”Bring me a good fiddle” took place during Musik vid Siljan 2004. There was both instruments and bows for the public to exam and try out in Folkmusikens house between 2-11 June.

After the vernissage on the Saturday night there was a concert with Nils-Erik Sparf and Anders Jacobsson playing instruments from the exhibition.

Exhibition for the Royal Philharmonics in Stockholm, 2006

Between the 10th and 12th of May 2006, the Guild of Swedish Violin Makers visited the bow section of the Royal Philharmonics with a exhibition in the Concert House in Stockholm. A big number of new made violins, violas, cellos and bows were on display could be tried out both in the Big Hall as well as in the Grynewall Hall.

1st Stockholm Fiddle Race, 2007

Between the 6-9 June 2007 eleven violin makers from seven different countries gathered in Stockholm, within 24 hours they were to make three bowed instruments – to be played. It was members for the Guild of Swedish Violin Makers who invited colleagues from abroad to participate in this competition against time.

The idée with Fiddle Race is to show the public how a bowed instrument is made and constructed. So even though the schedule is limited there is always time for discussions and questions about violin making.

As the Race were a activity around Stockholm Early Music Festival the makers choose the theme ”Barock instruments” and decided to make a barock violin, a barock viola and a viola da gamba.

During the last day of the festival the project were ended with a concert with Karen Bruce, Ann Wallström, Joel Sundin and Mayume Komata playing the new instruments.

Due to a generous economic support from the Guild of Swedish Violin Makers, the viola da gamba were displayed to the Royal Academy of Music as a gift, to be used by teachers and pupils

2nd Stockholm Fiddle Race, 2008

For the second time eleven violin makers from all over Europe gathered in Stockholm to help each others to make three bowed instruments – within 24 hours.

All steps of the making process were shown, from the ruff wood work to stringing of the wood white instruments. Everything where done by hand according to traditionally working methods so no band saw or other power tools were allowed.

The makers were divided in three teams with four people in each. The first one makes the rib structure, the second work out the belly, the third hollow the back and the fourth carve the scroll. When time is catching up everyone is helping out to put the instrument together.

After 2007 theme “Barock instruments” Fiddle Race continued on the same line with “Bowed instruments from the past”. This year they made a violino piccolo, a viola d’amore and a quintone. Every instrument has its own history but they were all used in Europe during the 18th century.

From the makers the violino piccolo were also handed over to the Royal Academy as a gift, previously the school did not have a viola da gamba nor a violino piccolo in there collection.

3rd Stockholm Fiddle Race, 2009

During the third Stockholm Fiddle Race, which again were held at the Royal Academy of Music, the project continued in the same direction with the theme “The time when the violin was born”.

Ones again the time was challenged when a Lira da Braccio, a discant gamba and a barock cello bow were to be made by the eight participants within 24 hours.

The Lira da Braccio is a unuseal instrument from the Renaissance which were mainly used in Italy during the 15th and 16th century’s by musicians to accompany to their narrative poetry.