Learn Violin-making With Dmitry Badiarov

VIOLIN-MAKING IN THE HAGUE

LEARN VIOLIN MAKING WITH DMITRY BADIAROV

INTENSIVE 200 HOURS WEEKEND AND EVENING COURSES FOR BEGINNERS SPECIALIZATION COURSES FOR PROFESSIONALS

Learn violin-making with Dmitry Badiarov A Badiarov Violins brochure, October 2013 All rights reserved Copyright © Dmitry Badiarov Cover illustration: the 1st violin by Arnaud Wiehe, pupil at Badiarov Violins. All pictures by Dmitry Badiarov unless stated otherwise. For information: Badiarov Violins Ltd, Noordeinde 117, 2514GE The Hague, The Netherlands. [email protected] www.badiarovviolins.com www.dmitrybadiarov.com Phone: +31 70 322 0543 http://facebook.com/badiarov.violins/ http://twitter.com/BadiarovViolins/

© Daniel Kempisty

CONTENTS Why make a violin?"........................................................................................................................ 4 What is a violin?"............................................................................................................................. 5 Why share secrets?"......................................................................................................................... 7 Available violin-making courses".................................................................................................... 9 Costs".............................................................................................................................................. 10 Requirements"................................................................................................................................ 11 Application form".......................................................................................................................... 12

Why make a violin? Violin is a fascinating, enigmatic object. For more than 500 years it remains one of the most inspiring musical instruments and is unlikely to go out of use anytime soon. One might want to build a violin for practical reasons, as a matter of doing something entirely different from one’s daily duties, as a challenge, as a profession or just for fun. Regardless the reason, completing a violin is quite an achievement. In my personal case, I got involved with violinmaking at the age of 11 because I wanted to fix my poorly sounding factory-made violin. I had done so under the guidance of Master Vladimir Oiberman - my first violin-making teacher. It was such an inspiring experience that it even liberated me as a player. I made my first violin at the workshop of Master Vladimir Yakimenko when I was a violinstudent at St.Petersburg Conservatoire. May be it was not a “great” instrument, but it made me happy. It received a Deed of Honor at the National Competition of Violin-Makers in Moscow in 1992 and, at the least, it had the kind of sound I could not afford otherwise. It helped me as a violinist immensely. Soon after I made a violin for my brother too and started my own violin-making studio in St.Petersburg. In order to improve my violin-making skills and knowledge I moved to Europe in 1994, closer to the cultural roots of the violin, violin-making and classical music. The learning process will never end.

What is a violin? Much of what we know as european culture rests on Pythagorean notions of the Universe being a musical instrument. These notions permeated all branches of occidental knowledge from philosophy and psychology to the visual arts and music. Apart from mere ergonomics and physics, design of the violin rests the Law of Harmonics which were used by musical instrument makers since the 1c BC and in particular during the Renaissance. Music was coded into almost everything including violins.

A violin by Dmitry Badiarov, The Hague, July 2013

The start of professional violin-making in Europe can be dated by December 20, 1511. This is the date on which the countess Isabella d’Este paid Maestro Sebastian da Verona to prepare the timbre for her violins. The move was followed by other European courts and by the end of the 16th century courts which regarded themselves as sophisticated owned their viol and violin bands. The future of the violin was secured. The violin band, in other words the quartet consisting of violin, viola and cello formed the core of classical orchestra and thus the core of classical music. Hermann Hesse calls classical music “the epitome and quintessence of our culture, because it is that culture’s clearest, most significant gesture and expression”. Violin occupies the most prominent place within that “gesture and expression”. It is the epitome and quintessence of classical music.

One might want to build a violin for practical reasons, as a matter of doing something entirely different from one’s daily duties, as a challenge, as a profession or just for fun.

Since 1995 I worked for La Petite Bande both as a violinist I’ve been teaching and and violin-maker, producing writing about violin since 1995. instruments and innovative I was often asked by peers why research which helped the do not do something better orchestra in lobbying for the than share my hard-earned state subsidies. Thorough knowledge. It is probably familiarity with the violin and difficult to explain without its repertoire as well as violintelling the story of how my making enabled me to teach violin-making atelier was historical aspects of violincreated. making at the School of Arts and Crafts in Pieve di Cento I started violin-making at (Ferrara) in 1997 and give a the age of 11 (master Vladimir number of lectures in Belgium, Oiberman) and playing the Mexico, Japan, Netherlands violin at the age of 8 (prof. (The Hague and Utrecht Semyon Ziskind), later Conservatoires), France and graduating from St.Petersburg South Korea. I also worked as a State (modern violin, prof. guest-lecturer at The National Kommisarov, Shulpiakov) and University of Fine Arts and Brussels Royal Conservatoires Music in Tokyo (2006-2009) (baroque violin, prof. Kuijken). and taught violin-making at Daikanyama Academy of I studied violin-making Music in Tokyo (2007-2009). much like it was in the old times: apprenticing to masters. Apart from research and My first masters were Vladimir teaching, my full-time vocation Oiberman and Vladimir was making violins. I exhibited Yakimenko in Russia. I also them a number of international frequented the class of violin exhibitions such as professor Luca Primon at the Mondomusica Cremona, Civic School of Violin-Making Mondomusica New York, in Milan in 1997. My teachers Tokyo Gengakki Fair, Boston shared a wealth of knowledge, Early Music Exhibition among training me in the ambiance of others, meeting leading a real violin-making atelier, performers and their rather than school. instruments among which several Stradivari, Guarneri, Amati, Bergonzi, Montagnana

Why share secrets?

and also instruments by now living outstanding masters such as Zygmuntowicz, Greiner and many others. Since 2010 I live in The Hague, The Netherlands, making fine violins while pursuing my life-long passion for teaching.

32 weekends beginner’s course 64 evenings beginner’s course Professional specialization courses

Noordeinde 117, The Hague

Violin-making courses Violin-making courses for the complete beginners: 32 weekends course 64 evenings course. Specialization courses for professional violin-makers.

In detail Beginner’s courses take place either on weekends or in the evenings. Students learn the basics of wood-working, acoustics, historical aspects of violin-making, varnish and varnishing techniques and setup. The goals are: Completion of a high quality, professionally usable violin. Learning and memorization of the process which should enable students to develop their violin-making skills on their own. Documentation. By the end of the process each student is expected to have a detailed record of what had been done on each day of the course. Students willing to produce more instruments welcome to inscribe for additional terms. The Hague, 2012-2013

Specialization courses focus on specific topics such as acoustics, design, varnishing, historical setup and history of violindevelopment, research and re-construction techniques etc. These are a teacher-to-student individual courses.

Assessment Demonstration to the professional players and a blind-test against other fine instruments.

My students at Daikanyama Academy of Music Tokyo, 2007-2009.

Beginner’s courses costs Full-day course • 1st quarter: registration fee 726 € plus the quarter fee – 50 hours - 1742.40€ • 2nd quarter – 50 hours: 2468.40 € • 3rd quarter – 50 hours: 2468.80 € • 4th quarter – 50 hours: 2468.80 € Total duration is 200 hours. All fees include the Dutch VAT 21%. Evening course 3 hours per evening - 150€. Registration fee 50€.

Professional courses

Other costs Beginning pupils may use the tools of my atelier however they are encouraged to buy their personal set. Additional costs include a set of woods, strings, accessories and varnish materials for one violin. Contact me for more details.

Continuation scheme My past experience shows that some pupils may need further advice or use some of my equipment which they do not have at their own violin-making studios. They are always welcome for an advice, or rent my atelier with its tools for a fee of 120€ per day, negotiable in case more time is needed.

The first violin by student Arnaud Wiehe, The Hague, September 2013

Professional specialization courses: contact me for a quote and dates: phone +31 70 322 0543, mobile +31 6 1125 7695 or email [email protected]

What you do need You need passion. If you love the challenge, if it gives you pleasure, you will train your skills and patience and certainly make a beautiful instrument. If you have passion I will help you with equal passion to reach your goals.

What you do not need Wood-working skills are a plus but not a pre-requisite. I often hear, “I have no good hands so I can not make it”. This is not true. We are using the whole body most of the time rather than only the hands. Violins are body-made rather than hand-made. Most of the beginners who inscribed for my course started without any skills. All of them completed a violin in the end of the program.

Try it today! I always tell my pupils, if I can do something, there is no reason you cannot. I will help you to avoid efforts which do not result in a violin by the end of the program. However if you never touched the wood or the tools, you are warmly welcome to make an appointment, visit my atelier and simply give it a try before you decide. More than half of my pupils inscribed after a try-out.

Inscribe today! Inscription form is below.

Contact Badiarov Violins Ltd., Noordeinde 117, 2514GE The Hague The Netherlands. Phone +31 70 322 0543, Mobile +31 6 1125 7695, Email [email protected], Website www.badiarovviolins.com

OPENING HOURS Monday: closed (open upon appointment) Tuesday through Friday: 10:00-19:00, appointment strongly recommended Saturday violin-making course: 10:00-13:00 & 14:00-17:00

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Badiarov Violins Ltd Noordeinde 117 2514GE The Hague The Netherlands

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☐ Beginners violin-making

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Mail: [email protected] Phone +31 70 322 0543 Mobile +31 6 1125 7695

☐ Saturday and Sunday

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course ☐ Professional

If you chose the specialization course, please, specify the subject:

specialization course Do you have any previous experience with violinDo you have any previous experience with other crafts? making? If yes, please, specify:

........................................................................................... ........................................................................................... ☐ Yes ☐ No Please, indicate the date when you would like to start the course (day/month/year):

Please send the reservation fee of 726€ together with this application form to the following account:

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Please, call should you have any questions: 06 1125 7695 Date:

Badiarov Violins BV Bank account: 7892783 Signature: IBAN: NL34 INGB 0007 8927 83 BIC: INGBNL2A

OPENING HOURS Monday: closed (open upon appointment) Tuesday through Friday: 10:00-19:00, appointment strongly recommended Saturday violin-making course: 10:00-13:00 & 14:00-17:00