Merton College

This course equips students with the knowledge and skills to enable them to enter the violin trade with confidence. Many completing students in recent years have found employment in shops or workshops around the world, others have become self employed. In particular, we have had excellent comments about the quality of repair and restoration work from visiting restorers.

In the first year the intention is to develop an extremely fine level of hand skill, so the focus will be on the processes and techniques required.

Time is devoted to learning or improving woodwork theory and skills. Topics include: health & safety, sharpening, maintaining and using edge tools (planes, chisels, gouges and knives), measuring & marking out, making accurate joints, bandsaw & other machine skills, timber identification, adhesives, abrasives, finishes.

Alongside these topics we will start to make the first instrument. We begin by making templates from drawings and progress through the entire violin making process. At each stage the tutor will demonstrate a method or technique and give the student time to practice, as each step involves learning a new technique. Students are encouraged to try out different methods, tools and techniques where time allows.

A continuation of work started in the Level 1: we will complete violins started in year 1 and aim to make a viola as well as setting up and basic repair work. Topics covered include: -making templates from drawings -styles of making -alternative construction methods -varnishing methods

Fitting up and maintenance of instruments:  -cleaning instruments -checking and regluing loose seams -shooting a fingerboard -fitting a new top saddle -peg fitting -retouching -soundpost fitting -bridge fitting -stringing up 

Bow repair and rehair is introduced during the second year. (We do also offer a separate short course on Bowmaking). Throughout the course students will be working on assignments covering the history and development of instruments and bows. We will make use of our proximity to Central London and visit collections, auction viewings and repair and restoration workshops.

In this year there are two options: Instrument Making or Instrument Repair and Restoration, although most students complete work from both areas.

On the Making option a minimum of two instruments must be completed to a standard approaching a professional level in terms of speed of work, style, finish and playability. This could include making a violoncello.

Repair and Restoration students will complete a wide range of repairs covering all the most common problems found on instruments. For example: varnish retouching, crack repair,  edge repairs, plaster casting and patch fitting, grafting new wood, replacing bassbar, soundpost cracks and peghole bushings, neck resetting, neck grafts. 

In both options students will study Acoustics and Business Studies.