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718 636 4671   Studio, Brooklyn NY

Samuel Zygmuntowicz, Violinmaker, was already a prize-winning sculptor before beginning his instrument-making studies at age 13.

Since 1985 he has made instruments by advance commission for performers such as Cho-Liang Lin, Joshua Bell, Maxim Vengerov, Yo-Yo Ma, and the entire Emerson String Quartet.

A 1994 violin that he made for Isaac Stern still holds the record for the highest auction price paid for a musical instrument by a living maker.

Born 1956 in Philadelphia, he is a graduate of the SLC Violinmaking School, and studied advanced making and restoration with Carl Becker and Rene Morel. His faithful copies of classic violins won early acclaim, and he has interpreted or designed many personal models as well.

In addition to his extensive studies of traditional violinmaking, often featured in THE STRAD magazine, he has worked closely with acoustic researchers Norman Pickering and Oliver Rodgers, and is often on staff at both the Violinmaking and Violin Acoustics Workshops at Oberlin College. He was involved with the first 3d laser vibration studies of Stradivari and Guarneri violins, under the direction of physicist George Bissinger. With Strad3D, he has brought together the efforts of an inspiring group of scientists, violinmakers, musicians, filmmakers and designers.

The Harper Collins book THE VIOLINMAKER documents the making of a violin for Eugene Drucker.

Sam lives in Brooklyn NY, and still plays fiddle with a variety of performing folk music groups. His CD recordings include GRAND PICNIC and JUMP WHEN THE TRUMPETS BLOW.