Who were your masters?
I had several masters during my long apprenticeship after school. I went to Carlo Chiesa’s bottega in Milan, Fausto Cangelosi in Florence and several more, in Italy and abroad. Each one of them guided me in my learning process, refining my mistakes and broadening the range of instruments that I am able to create and restore.
Which are your favourite instruments?
Personally, I love clean designs but my passion is for baroque instruments, they are a world apart. It’s a more romantic and pure environment, with less standardization and more creative freedom in terms of both construction and materials.
©Ester Passiatore
What is creative freedom in your craft?
Well, sometimes it’s just a side effect! In our craft we follow established beauty standards and we are guided by strict acoustic requirements but sometimes, while working, you have to develop your project starting from the magic diversity of a piece of wood, and that’s where freedom starts.
Is there a tradition for violin making in your region?
Not really. There is not a culture of respect for old instruments, because there aren’t many role models around yet. But music is everywhere, and many young people play an instrument. It’s also a social redemption for some of them.