Wonderful World of Violins: 100 Violin Knowledge Questions

Author: Cao Shukun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-03-01
Features: For a student, the violin is a tool for learning music; for a musician, it is a weapon for expressing music; for a luthier, it is a craft of creation; for a collector, it is an antique for investment; and for violin enthusiasts, its significance is even deeper. Due to its highly humanized sound, some compare it to a lover or a wife. Once you fall in love with it, you will never leave it for a lifetime. The violin was introduced to China around the 19th century. Subsequently, with its unique charm, it was quickly accepted and loved by the Chinese. In recent years, the production and use of violins in China have developed particularly rapidly. China is not only a major production country with an annual output of over a million violins but also a major country in terms of violin usage. With the continuous improvement of living standards, people's demands for violin quality have also gradually increased. Many professional groups and individuals have purchased violins worth tens of thousands or even millions of yuan. Therefore, for knowledge related to violins, such as its history, manufacturing schools, classification, structural characteristics, sound principles, maintenance and care, and all other related issues, everyone hopes to have a book that is both novel and comprehensive. To meet this demand, as a violinist, luthier, and collector who has been connected with violins for decades, years of passion, experience, and emotional ties have motivated us to compile this small booklet. We hope it will be helpful to most violin enthusiasts and inspire more people to develop an interest, concern, and love for violins, so that this wonderful and enchanting instrument can bring more joy to everyone's life.
Author Bio: Cao Shukun was born in Guangzhou in 1956. In 1977, he began working at Guangdong Musical Instrument Factory, specializing in violin making. In May 1985, he funded his studies in the United States. In 1986, violins made by Cao Shukun won an Excellence in Sound Award at the 7th International Violin Making Competition in the U.S. In 1989, he obtained permanent residency in the U.S. as an outstanding artist. In 1990, he partnered with Japanese-American luthier Hideo Kamimoto to open a violin shop, and three years later, he established his own company, Cao's Violin Company. In 1990, Cao returned to China to set up a factory and founded Guangzhou Grimaldi Violin Manufacturing Co., Ltd. He later established China's Songdi Violin Shop and Wholesale Center. Cao Shukun is considered one of the most internationally renowned Chinese violin masters. His handcrafted violins have won numerous international competition awards, including two gold medals, two silver medals, and multiple awards for sound quality and craftsmanship. In recent years, violins made by Cao have been widely used and appreciated by renowned violinists both domestically and internationally, including Pamela, Kremer, Kennedy, Mischa, and Lin Yaoji, Huang Bin, and Xie Nan. Pamela even praised Cao as one of the world's best violin makers. Currently, Cao Shukun serves as the Chairman of Guangzhou Grimaldi Violin Company, Chairman of Cao's Violin Company in the U.S., and Chairman of China's Songdi Violin Shop, as well as an External Council Member of the Chinese Violin Makers Association.
Hong Feng was born in Chongqing and grew up in Shanghai. He began learning the violin at a young age, studying under masters such as Lü Hao, Zhang Shixiang, Lin Kechang, and Alice Schoenfeld. In 1980, he obtained a diploma as a violinist from the Royal Academy of Music in the UK and served as a violin teacher at the Hong Kong Government Music Office. At the same time, he maintained close ties with renowned luthiers such as Liang Guohui and Xu Fu in Guangzhou. Influenced by Lü Hao and Yuan Zhu in his early years, and later guided by Liang Guohui and Xu Fu during his time in Hong Kong, Hong Feng developed a deep interest and dedication to the structure, principles, and appreciation of string instruments. In 1988, he moved to the U.S., where he had the opportunity to play and study many Italian violins, broadening his horizons significantly. In the 1990s, he traveled extensively across Europe, establishing close personal relationships with contemporary master luthiers such as Lloyd K. Liu, F. Bissolotti, G. B. Morassi, Ce' Giorgio, Bruno Montagne, and P. Balzarini, as well as maintaining excellent connections with Chinese musicians and luthiers worldwide. In 1998, he co-founded the "Global String Music Lovers Association in the U.S." with Lin Zhaoliang, Lin Yaoji, Liu Wangguo, Lü Hao, Lin Boheng, and Luo Zhaoguang. As the editor of the association's newsletter "The Bridge," the content is rich and diverse, catering to both the elite and the general public, and it often contributes music-related features to the most widely read weekly magazine in North America. Both "The Bridge" and his reports have been highly praised by Chinese music lovers worldwide. In 2004, he edited the book "Liang Guohui: A Violin Maker," which is China's first full-color, illustrated book about a luthier. That same year, he compiled the "World Directory of Chinese Violin Makers, Bow Makers, and Brands," which is the only bilingual (Chinese-English) professional book in the world introducing Chinese luthiers, playing a crucial role in helping foreigners understand the Chinese violin-making industry.