by Alessio Zuccaro
A true veteran of the Cremona Musica International Exhibitions and Festival, Stefano Trabucchi, born in Sondrio in 1970 to a family of musicians, has also served as the fair’s technical consultant for several years. Known to the general public for his “Blue Violin”—the distinctive color of its varnish—donated to the Thai royal family in 2018, Trabucchi is a key figure in Cremonese violin making. This was demonstrated by his invitation, in 2013, to represent this tradition in Paris on the occasion of its inscription as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. This year, he will be present again, for the twenty-third time, at Europe’s largest finely crafted instrument fair, which will be held in Stradivari’s hometown from September 26th to 28th.
In 2024, you were elected president of Confartigianato Imprese Cremona—the association’s first violin-making president. How would you describe the current state of your profession?
In recent years, the number of violin-making workshops and laboratories has increased dramatically. While this is a positive sign of growth, it also poses market challenges: it’s becoming more difficult to break into the market and find new niches.
Furthermore, the musical instrument market has recently experienced a downturn, affected by the general uncertainty we are all experiencing. Now more than ever, therefore, events like Cremona Musica are becoming increasingly important as a meeting point and growth opportunity for exhibitors.
What advice would you give to a young person who wants to learn this profession?
For beginners, it’s crucial to find a school where they can take their first steps. I recommend the International School of Violin Making in Cremona, which has trained generations of top-level luthiers. Next, you need to find a good teacher who can take on the graduate and conduct an apprenticeship: life in a workshop is completely different from school. Then comes the time to decide whether to open your own business or focus on niche areas such as restoration, instrument setup, and so on. Competitions, now far too numerous, are also very important and provide a decisive boost to a young violin maker’s career.
What can we find at your stand?
Like every year, I’ll be exhibiting violins, violas, and cellos. In particular, for a few years now, I’ve been creating instruments inspired by Greek mythology: last year I presented a violin called “Poseidon,” this year it’s the turn of “Apollo.” I look forward to seeing you!
