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I started playing violin when I was 5 years old, and this influenced me when choosing my profession.
From 1982 to 1985, I attended the Violin Maker’s School in Luby, a town near Cheb, Czech Republic, that used to be called Schönbach bei Eger. I started an apprenticeship in the atelier of my uncle, master violinmaker Josef Vávra (1912-1998). Undoubtedly it was him who taught and directed me for the road ahead.
From 1985 to 1987, I studied at the vocational school in Hradec Králové and started working at the atelier of Mr Vladimír Pilař. My time with this foremost Czech violinmaker was of fundamental importance for me and truly elevated my work. While working for Mr. Pilař, I made instruments for the 1989 International Violinmakers Contest and won two Gold medals.
After this success, I was invited to intern for Bernhard von Hünerbein, Alte Musikinstrumente GmbH in Koln am Rhein. The internship (1989-1992) brought me amazing opportunities, such as to attend the renowned London auctions and see many instruments that had been unknown to me. My stay in Germany with Mr. Hünerbeinin greatly influenced me and my work.
Doprava dát slider fotogalerii, Ivan pošle
Oskar Nedbal Award, 1989
cremona
metelka
tokyo
+ Gold Medal for violin
+ Gold Medal for viola
+ 9th Place for Viola
+ 7th place for Violin
+ 2nd place for Tone of Violin
+ Award of the Master Pilař Atelier for the best Czech Violin-maker
3rd Place
Silver Plaque of the for the best varnish, granted by Gio Batta Morassi (patří k té první)
Quality of the viola, granted by Apostol I. Kaloferov (patří k té první)
Quality of the viola, granted by Roger G. Hargrave (patří k té první)
Upon return to the Czech Republic in 1992, I joined the Association of Czech Violinmakers (KUH) and opened my own atelier.
I worked closely with master violinmaker Přemysl O. Špidlen and took several short internships in Germany, England and Italy. I participated in a number of contests, seminars and exhibitions, such as the 1994 New York exhibition of twenty-five Guarneri del’Guesù violins, organized by Biddulph.
During this period I had the opportunity to meet many significant violinists, including Josef Suk, Yehudi Menuhin, Isaac Stern, Ruggerio Ricci or Maxim Vengerov, who greatly influenced my workmanship.
Since 2003 I have been working again in my own atelier in Prague, Czech Republic, making the finest handcrafted violin, violas and cellos. My workshop Atelier Stradivari is located in the heart of Old Prague, a magical city with 350 years of violinmaking tradition. Contact me to arrange a visit, my door is always open!
