Violin Society of America/Oberlin Restoration Workshops

The VSA/Oberlin program will have two restoration workshops in the summer of 2012, one for instruments and one for bows. These are one week long, run at the same time, and are across the hall from each other in the same building. Participants will have some freedom to go back and forth between the two. 

The VSA/Oberlin programs take place at Oberlin College, Oberlin Ohio, near Cleveland. Oberlin was originally an instrument restoration workshop, and we have revived this, recognizing that repair and restoration is the way most "violin and bow makers" will actually make their living.

Dates for the 2012 workshops: Sunday July 1st (arrive) through Saturday July 7th (depart)

Participants for both workshops will be selected based partly on prior experience, ability to contribute to the overall learning experience of all participants, and available space. Contact information for each workshop is at the bottom of the individual "staff" sections.

Please scroll to the bottom for some "before and after" pictures of work done by current and former staff.

This page will be periodically revised with more complete information and updates, so please check back. (last updated 12/15/11)

Jeffrey Holmes, program director:
Jeffrey studied violin making with Tschu Ho Lee at the Chicago School of Violin Making. During school, his experience was enhanced through his employment by conservator Dudley Greeley and violin maker Marilyn Wallin. After graduating in 1985, he worked with David Burgess at Shar in Ann Arbor, MI, making new instruments and performing restoration work.  During his 17 year stay at Shar, he also worked with a number of restorers including Mark Norfleet, Jerry Pasewicz, Oliver Radke, and Anton Smith.  From 1995-2003, he served as Vice-President of Shar Fine Instruments. In May of 2003, Jeffrey left the firm and opened his own studio where he offers restoration, appraisal, expertise, and sales of old and contemporary instruments and bows. Jeff is a member of the Appraisers Association of America, serves on the Board of Directors at the Chicago School of Violin Making, and served on the Board of Directors for the Violin Society of America eight years. http://www.holmesviolins.com

David Burgess, program assistant:
David, a full time maker now, was a repairman and restorer in the Hans Weisshaar shop, and continued with restoration activity until approximately 1991. During that time, as a shop manager, he was involved in the training of numerous people who have gone on to have major impact in the field, many of whom are now members of the American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers.

Workshop description:
Much of the time will be spent with participants working on projects they have brought, with teachers circulating around giving tips, answering questions, discussing alternate ways of accomplishing a goal, and drawing the group together for a discussion, whenever something about what a participant is doing (or isn't doing) can be expanded on in a way that is of interest to the group. This will be supplemented with some presentations, and the hope is that the teachers will bring some thorny projects of their own.

Tuition: $700 for VSA members, $800 for non-members.
Housing: Housing prices are not yet set, but were $270 for single occupancy, and $250 for double occupancy last year.
If you are interested in attending, please contact:

Jeffrey Holmes
email: holmesviolins@gmail.com
Phone: 734 668-6745

Staff for the Bow Restoration Workshop:

Jerry Pasewicz:
Jerry made his first violin and bow in 1978. After spending time in violin making school, working in violin shops and owning his own shop, he was hired to direct the workshop at Shar Products in 1988. At Shar he worked alongside multiple award-winning violinmaker and former Weisshaar foreman David Burgess, gaining crucial experience in the restoration of violin and bows. In 1992, armed with this experience, he was hired as an instrument restorer at Jacques Francais Rare Violins in New York, under the direction of renowned restorer Rene Morel. In the Francais workshop, Jerry not only had the opportunity to work on the finest instruments and bows, but also to work for some of the world’s finest musicians. He continued working under the direction of Maestro Morel for two and a half years, and continued doing work for Jacques Francais until leaving Manhattan in 1998. During his time in New York, Jerry Pasewicz also served a bow making apprenticeship with multiple gold medal-winning maker David Samuels. Jerry has been a participant in the Oberlin workshops since 1997. He has been an instructor in the bow making and restoration workshop at Oberlin since 2000, and has been on the faculty of the instrument set up workshop from 2004-2006. He has been a presenter at The Violin Society of America conventions, currently sits on its board of directors, and is the chair of the International Violin and Bow Makers Competition. Jerry has been a member of the American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers since 1997, and currently serves as Vice President of this organization.

David Orlin:
After college, David was a professional furniture maker. He began bowmaking with William Salchow at the University of New Hampshire in the summers of 1982  and 1983. He continued traing with David Burgess and Mark Norfleet at Shar Products from 1982-85, and then worked for Claire Givens Violins in Minneaplis, 1985-6. He worked independently in Madison and Seattle before returning to Ann Arbor in 1989. Orlin participated in the VSA/Oberlin Bowmaker's Workshop in 1996, 1997 and 2000. He was elected to membership in the American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers (AFVBM) in 1996.
Orlin has taught bow repair and restoration at the National String Workshops in Madison since 1993 and for the VSA/Oberlin bow restoration course since 2003. He has exhibited and presented at conventions of the AFVBM, VSA and the America String Teachers Association, and lectures frequently about bows. In 2001 he was featured on PBS Television's WNET production EGG: The Arts show.
Specializing in restoration for over 25 years has afforded many opportunities for in-depth study of old master bows. Orlin's own bow models include historical patterns from Baroque and Classical through 19th Century inspired designs.Related activities include researching alternative bow woods, sculpting, and playing for contra dances.

Rodney Mohr:
Rodney graduated from the Kenneth Warren and Son School of Violin Making (now known as the Chicago School of Violin Making) in 1982. After graduation Rodney worked for John Norwood Lee in Chicago. In 1985 Rodney and his wife Ann set up their own shop, Mohr and Mohr,and reside in Ashland, Ohio where he primarily makes new bows and does major restoration. Rodney is currently a co-director of the Oberlin Bow Restoration Workshop and has also taught at the North Bennett Street School in Boston. He has won numerous awards for bow making including third prize at the Paris Competition, three gold medals from past VSA competitions, and a degree of Master in Bow Making from the American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of the VSA and was past president of the American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers.

Workshop description:
Techniques of bow repair and restoration addressed will include frog chevals; head splines; tongue grafts; stick and frog bushings; rail replacement; head grafts; silver replacement.
Also covered will be all aspects of bow setup, including windings; thumb leather; camber; pearl slides; screws; eyelets; ivory tips; rehairing.
The techniques covered will depend on the projects the participants and instructors bring to the course. There will be many demonstrations as well as plenty of time to work on your own or with an instructor's guidance.
Participants are expected to bring tools, materials, and projects for setup or restoration.

Tuition will be $700 for VSA members, $800 for non-members.
Housing: Housing prices are not yet set, but were $270 for single occupancy, and $250 for double occupancy last year.
If you are interested in attending, please contact:

Questions about the course can also be answered by David Orlin.
Phone: 734 663-6631

Below are some "before and after"  and project pictures of work done by current and previous staff.


Andrew Dipper rebuilds a rib assembly onto a back

Prior repaired worm damage.

New, replacement scroll for a Mantagnana violin: