by Monica Argentino
In the world of violin making, technical perfection alone isn’t enough. Every instrument, to truly resonate, needs a soul: that of its maker. In the heart of Parma, the Scrollavezza & Zanrè violin making workshop, born from the school of maestro Renato Scrollavezza, has become a reference point for those seeking stringed instruments that combine tradition and personality. In anticipation of the 2025 edition of the Cremona Musica International Exhibitions and Festival, we explored the roots of his business with Andrea Zanrè, born in Parma in 1976, and the delicate balance between faithfulness to violin-making tradition and the creative freedom required to create authentic instruments.
How much has the teachings of your mentor Renato Scrollavezza influenced the way you approach your work today?
Renato was a very special teacher. More than just technical aspects, he paid great attention to the style of Italian violin making and, above all, inspiration. His strength lay in his ability to motivate his students to give their best.
It was a true school of life for me, an education in beauty that went far beyond musical instruments, including painting and sculpture. At school, we talked about many things, not just violin making. I still try to keep those teachings alive today.
How do you manage to pass on the craft of violin making, respecting tradition and method, while leaving the student the freedom to develop their own expressiveness and personal style?
Violin making is an artistic field strongly tied to tradition, and therefore the development of personal solutions—which would be desirable—is unfortunately rare today.
We try to encourage personal expression, but always respecting the right timing. First and foremost, it’s essential for students to embrace the models of the past: that’s where evolution can begin. It’s not necessarily about innovation, but rather about bringing the personal taste each of us possesses into what we do.
Your company places great emphasis on historical and scientific research, as evidenced by its parallel activity as a publishing house. What’s behind such an ambitious project?
This adventure began 15 years ago, in 2011, when we had the opportunity to organize an exhibition on Guadagnini here in Parma, on the tercentenary of his birth. On that occasion, thanks in part to some fortuitous coincidences, a team of people was formed that included, among others, photographer Jan Röhrmann and historian Philip J. Kass.
One of the key features of our publications is to highlight lesser-known areas. For example, the latest major project we’re completing concerns Mantua: we want to demonstrate that Italian violin making, alongside Cremona, boasts a thousand facets, and that each city has its own important tradition.
In this way, we hope that today’s luthiers will have numerous reference models available to them to help them grow and enrich themselves!
