Monday, January 6, 2014

The Great Violin Maker Scott Cao

By Harriett Crosby


Violin making is one of the most respected professions of all time simply because it is a profession that makes one of the finest types of instruments in the world. Maestros all over the world would not touch a violin unless it is carefully and meticulously crafted by a master who knows the finest details about this instrument. In the world of violin making, one person who would really stand out would be none other than violin maker Scott Cao.

Now for those who do not know about him, he was a luthier in China sometime in the year 1970. He decided to leave China because of the cultural revolution that was going on at that time. When he moved to the United States of America, he became an extremely famous luthier or violin maker who stationed himself permanently in California.

Now during the middle of the seventies when general Mao Ze Dong was in the middle of executing his very famous cultural revolution, mister Cao was living his life as a humble farmer. Since he was born in that kind of class, he lead a very simple life and did not know anything else except farming. However, fate took a little twist on to his life when a violin making teacher visited the area.

Eventually, he participated in this program and officially became the apprentice of the violin maker. While studying under his teacher, he also went to a school in Guangzhou known as the Guangzhou Institute of Professions wherein he increased his knowledge and honed his violin making skills. In 1977, he graduated from this place and became a luthier in China.

When China finally opened its borders, mister Cao was able to get out and find a new life in the United States of America. In America, he actually decided to study under several master luthiers such as Hans Weisshaar and Roland Feller. All of these masters were able to teach him how to repair and make not only violins but other string instruments.

When he learned and perfected the trade, he decided to open up his store with a partner known as Hideo Kamimoto. His target were musicians who are not very rich as his instruments are of top notch quality but extremely affordable to anyone. From this little store, he decided to come up with his own brand name called Scott Cao Violins.

Eventually, he decided to move back to the United States of America and create a shop somewhere there. He became very famous when he entered a lot of violin making contests and getting awards there. He was so famous that violinists like Itzhak Perlman, Nigel Kennedy, Bin Huang, and more used his violins.

Mister Scott Cao is one of the nest violin makers that the world of music has ever seen. He is extremely famous for making really detailed copies of the Guarneri designs and the Stradivari designs. He is known to be able to take a look at even the smallest details of each instrument that he makes and makes sure that all strings sound really good.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment