VIOLIN MAKER
RAQUEL SALAZAR SALDIVAR
Born in Mexico, where I grew up, I started my musical training at Cuidad Victoria when I was 14.
My interest in violin making began in 2007. In Xalapa I completed my first training in violin making at Nahúm Landa Roldan's workshop, where I learned how to make the violin with the French internal mould method.
In 2010 I decided to go to Cremona (Italy) and I graduated in 2014 in violin making.
From 2014 to 2015 I took the course in acoustics in lutherie led by luthiers Luca Primon and Marco Osio.
Between 2015 and 2016 I was followed by violin maker Silvio Levaggi in the manufacture of new violins, focusing in particular on the designs and tuning of the instruments.
In 2016 I had the opportunity to go to Paris to do an apprenticeship in the workshop of Charles Coquet.
Since 2017 I continued to sporadically improve my professional experience with several violin makers such as Alberto Giordano, Jérémie Legrand, Monica Fortin and Melina Polizzi.
Today I work in our workshop in Rennes, especially in new making while continuing training abroad.
VIOLIN MAKER
FEDERICA THOENY
Born in Switzerland, I grew up surrounded by music. I decided to train at the University of Friborg in Musicology where I graduated in 2011.
My curiosity did not stop and I went to Cremona (Italy), to specialize in violin making.
In 2014 I graduated from the “International School of Violin Making Antonio Stradivari”.
During my training I also enriched my knowledge of violin making and restoration in the workshops of Andrea Castellani, Pascal Hornung and Silvio Levaggi.
From 2014 on I did apprenticeships in the workshops of Pierre Barthel, Joel Klépal and Antoine Lescombe in Paris.
From 2018 to 2021 I worked as a full-time luthier-collaborator in a workshop.
In June 2021, in London, I improved my training in high-restoration and conservation of musical instruments in the prestigious workshop of Florian Leonhard, alongside Julian Döring, who is a source of a great inspiration and with whom I have since collaborated.
Since 2022, my work has taken place in our workshop in Rennes, where I am specifically dedicated to the new making, maintenance and restoration of instruments.