Sigvald Rørlien is one of the last fiddle makers in Norway and is now 73 years old. When he retired in 2018, I took over the workshop in Voss. He felt that I could make more use of my creativity by being an instrument maker rather than a restorer.

Because it combines craftsmanship with art, creativity and music. It matches with many of my interests and talents. In contrast to violin making, it allows for more freedom and space for personal ideas. Every fiddle is unique in shape, sound and ornamentation.

The art of puppeteering has fascinated me since I was a child, and I always dreamt of creating my own little puppet theatre. For many years, I worked as a marionette player, as well as a stage and puppet builder, at the Marionette Theatre Schloss Schönbrunn in Vienna.

By merging traditional techniques and modern tools and by experimenting to achieve my own ideal sound. I’m also using traditional Norwegian and European patterns as a basis for creating my own individual designs and fiddle heads and pegboxes.