Women in Lutherie

Happy Women's History Month! This month we want to highlight current women luthiers around the world. While it is still a male-dominated industry, there are many women making their mark in the luthierie. 

Ute Zahn

Zahn is a German luthier who graduated from the Newark School of Violin Making in Newark, England in 1987. In 1992, she set up her own business as a violin maker and restorer in Hong Kong. In 1998, she helped set up the workshop of Vintage Violins in Vancouver, B.C. and spent a few months there. She has also worked for Claire Givens Violins in Minneapolis, and House of Note in St. Louis Park. In 2011, Zahn joined Luthiers sans Frontieres, a non-profit organization that provides repair services to musicians, orchestras, and ensembles in areas where no local services are available. She also taught violin making in Red Wing, MN from 2012 to 2016. You can read more about Ute Zahn’s work here: http://www.utezahnviolinmaker.com/ 

Amanda Ewing

Amanda Ewing is the first officially recognized Black woman luthier in United States history. After working in hospitality, she went back to playing violin, and joined a symphony where she met a luthier. She began to shadow the luthier, and do research, which led her to making instruments. She spent five years learning the craft, and has been making instruments for the last three years. Amanda has made four violins and one banjo. She founded Black in Lutherie, an organizations that aims to expand dialogue about and document the history and contributions of Black creatives in instrument making. You can check out her Instagram for more: @thelutherielounge.  

Stephanie Voss

Stephanie Voss has been a member of the Federation of German Violin and Bow Makers since 2002. Before opening Voss Violins in Atlanta, Georgia, Stephanie worked with Williams Gengakki Violins, and helped develop the workshop there. Stephanie graduated from the Musical Instrument Making School in Mittenwald, Germany.

Marilyn Wallin

Marilyn Wallin is an award-winning luthier that has made over 200 instruments. Some of the instrument owners have played in the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, and more. You can check out her website: https://www.violamaker.net/ 

Amelyse Arroyo

Amelyse Arroyo started playing the violin when she was six years old. Around middle school, Arroyo’s interest in how the instrument worked was born. She worked in local shops for many years, and in 2011 she was sent to learn to rehair bows. She took her first bow making course in 2014 with Steve Beckley, and then studied at The Violin Craftsman Institute with Lynn Hannings and George Rubino. She has also been David Forbes’ apprentice. You can check out her website here: https://www.arroyobows.com/ 

Marianne Jost

Marianne Jost studied at the International School of Violin making in Cremona under Francesco and Vincenzo Bissolotti in the 1990s. In the early 2000s, she worked in Rainer Krause’s workshop in Germany, where she perfected her abilities in string instrument restoration. She won third prize at the International Violin Making Competition in Mexico in 2008. In 2012, she earned the highest score among Cremonese violin makers in the Triennale International Violin Making Competition in Cremona. In 2017, she was awarded first prize for Best Technique at the International Violin Making Competition in Prague.

Lynn Armour Hannings

Lynn Armour Hannings is a bowmaker. She studied with John Roskoski and William Salchow in New York. She was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship and the Annette Kadé Fellowship, which allowed her to spend a year studying in Paris with Bernard Millant. She is a teacher of bow rehairing, restoration, and bow making for historical preservation at universities in the United States. You can check out her website here: https://shop.lahbows.com/ 

Ayoung An

Also known as Anna Arietti, Ayoung A was born in Seoul, South Korea. In 2011, she attended the International School of Violin Making in Cremona and studied under Pier Luigi Aromatico Fantoni. She graduated in 2015, and went on to participate in various competitions where she earned several awards, including the “Award Personality” medal at the 2015 International Violin Making Competition in Pisogne, a silver and bronze medal at the 2016 International Violin Making Competition in Rome. In 2020 she opened her own workshop in Cremona, Italy.

Elina Kaljunen

Elina Kaljunen studied instrument making in the Ikaalinen Handcraft school in Finland, and in 1997 earned her diploma from the International Violin Making School in Cremona, Italy. In London, she had an apprenticeship with John Dilworth. Elina Kaljunen has been running her own violin workshop in Helsinki since 1999. Check out her website here: https://www.viuluverstas.fi/ 

Minjeong Kang

Minjeong Kang began studying at the International Violin Making School in Cremona in 1998. In 2003, she began working with Edgar Russ, now a longtime collaborator. In 2009, they founded Sound of Cremona SRL together. She won the 12th International Triennial Competition for Stringed Instruments with one of her violas, placing fourth overall in her category. You can check out her website here: https://www.minandviolin.com/en-gb/home