About us
Instrument making in Mittenwald
Mittenwalds instrument making tradition began with the townsman Matthias Klotz (1653-1743). After having trained and worked in Italy for several years he returned and settled down in his home town in 1683. All succeeding violin making families of importance worked in his tradition. It was these families that made Mittenwald instruments famous far across the Bavarian borders.
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The history of the Violin Making School
In order to assure a lasting standard of quality, King Maximilian II, head of the Bavarian government, founded the school in 1858. The Violin Making School was supposed to be an “exemplary training workshop” and was established in the main street (today nr. 6). Due to reorganization and shortage of space the school moved to a new building in the Partenkirchner Straße 24. The existing wood storehouse was built in 1903 and is still used unaltered. In 1913 the school became a state institution. In 1923 the school was extended to the east and an east wing was added in the year of 1958. In addition to that, a southern extension was built in 1983. Since 1984 the local administrative district is financially responsible for the school.Today the Violin Making School premises incorporate two school types: one is the state vocational school for students training in workshops in the fields of violin making, bow making, plucked instrument making, woodwind and brass instrument making. These students attend block education in Mittenwald. The other one is the full-time state vocational school for violin making, plucked instrument making and brass instrument making which offers full-time training.
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World-renown educational institution
Today we can look back on 150 years of school history. Through the decades the Violin Making School has become an internationally renowned educational institution. Interested people from all over the world come to learn the fine craft of instrument making and numerous important masters have received there specialized training here. Former students have even founded further violin making schools using the school in Mittenwald as their model.Since its foundation, little by little the Violin Making School in Mittenwald has evolved into an international competence center for instrument making. Owing to this development the school has become a sought-after location for workshops, a venue for committees of experts as well as for international seminars. Seminars are held by leading instrument making specialists, which share their valuable knowledge during school breaks.
Member of Excellence
The musical instrument making school of Mittenwald is a member of the association “German Musicinstruments Certification e.V.” The school has been granted the seal of approval “Member of Excellence”, which the association awards to selected makers of musical instruments.
“German Musicinstruments Certification e.V.” is an association of makers of musical instruments who demonstrate dedication to quality in making and taking care of musical instruments and who guarantee high quality and professionalism. To keep the association's seal of approval members of excellence must provide proof of their continued dedication to quality at regular intervals.
For more information on the seal of quality “Member of Excellence” please visit the website of the association German Musicinstruments Certification e.V.
Educational range
Nowadays the Violin Making School offers a broad range of training in five fields of instrument making. In 1858 the school was founded as an “exemplary training workshop” exclusively for violin making and became the Violin Making School in 1893. In 1913 the school became a state institution. The school year of 1973/1974 marked the beginning of block education for violin, plucked instrument and bow making apprentices; some years later wood and brass instrument makers were added. The full-time vocational program was broadened in 1982 to also include plucked instrument making. Together with the Bavarian Instrument Making Guild, the Violin Making School regularly holds journeyman, master as well as qualified expert exams – also for piano and harpsichord making.Because the school was founded in 1858 for the training of violin makers, the term “violin making school” was coined. Even though all present fields of training are considered equally important, the school is still fondly referred to as the Violin Making School of Mittenwald.
Students and teachers
Currently altogether 115 students are enrolled in the Violin Making School of Mittenwald. Throughout the 150 years of school history much more than 2000 students have received their training here.The Violin Making School of Mittenwalds’ faculty currently consists of 14 teachers.