The VSA Monthly Newsletter - April 2026
Table of Contents
- VSA Convention and Competition
- International Competition: New Rule
- New VSA Member Benefit
- The Violin Iconography of Antonio Stradivari
This Month's Organization Update
Save The Date for the 2026 VSA Convention & International Competition - November 15-20, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio!
The VSA invites you to celebrate the art and science of making, preserving, & restoring stringed musical instruments and their bows, in person, once more.
Join us for a full week of convention programming and the International Competition honoring outstanding achievements by contemporary makers.
More details are coming soon, including hotel reservation info and highlights from the program.
International Competition New Rule Announcement
Silver Mounted Bows Only
Beginning with the 2026 VSA International Competition, all bow entries must be silver-mounted only. All metal fittings—including the ferrule, heel plate, underslide, button rings/caps, winding, and/or tip—must be silver; gold and all other metals are not permitted. This change was recommended by past judges and esteemed senior members of the bow-making community and was approved unanimously by both the Competition Committee and the VSA Board of Directors. Through this change we aim to further the VSA’s commitment to an open, fair, and inclusive Competition for makers at every level of experience—regardless of career stage or financial means.
New VSA Member Benefit: Convention Videos
This members-only archive offers audio and video presentations from VSA conventions, preserving valuable insights from leading makers, restorers and researchers. Whether you’re revisiting a favorite talk or catching up on a session you missed, you can explore the knowledge shared by experts across our field.
The Violin Iconography of Antonio Stradivari by Herbert K Goodkind has been added to The VSA Book Catalog
Published by the author, Herbert K. Goodkind, in 1972. This treatise on the life and work of the “Patriarch” of violin makers heralds an inventory of 700 known or recorded Stradivari string instruments. Index includes 3,500 names of past or present Stradivari owners and 1,500 photographs. Copies for sale by The VSA are in mint condition with original cellophane wrapper intact. A definitive addition to any luthier’s library, this beautiful reference features a cloth bound hardcover with original slipcase. Illustrations, color plates, black and white photographs, and instrument properties recorded in meticulous detail. 780 pages.