VSA Grants

Kathy Reilly & Ceile Kronick

Climate change models predict a significant temperature rise in the ecosystems where luthiers source tonewood. In this podcast series, we interview loggers in three of these regions – Switzerland, northwest Canada, and the Pacific northwest to get their perspective on the state of their forests, the tonewood supply we rely on, and how these forests may change over the next 40-60 years. We look at sustainable sourcing with interviews of Swisswood Solutions (Sonowood), the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and two makers trying to obtain sustainable certification. We come full circle with interviews of Suzuki teachers’ observations about the next generation of players and climate change. The interviews broaden our perspective as the VSA develops policies to support future generations of violinmakers in search of wood.

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Matthew Wehling

In the late 1960s, the French government established a school in Mirecourt to preserve traditional bow making, which was then near extinction. Under the tutelage of Bernard Ouchard, 19 students were trained in the techniques of the old masters. While this initiative successfully revitalized the craft, these specific traditional methods and construction practices have never been formally documented.

In the spring of 2026, bow maker Matthew Wehling, who trained under two of Ouchard’s pupils, travels to France to interview surviving students of the Mirecourt school. This research, combined with Wehling’s personal technical notebooks, will be donated to the VSA Goodkind Collection at Oberlin and the Musée de la Musique in Paris. This project aims to preserve the "French Method" for future generations through archival deposits and a potential comprehensive publication.

Brianna Goldberg on behalf of Alliance-International

The Alliance’s Lutherie School Curriculum project addresses the rapid decline in forest resources and increasing environmental regulations that are greatly impacting makers around the world. We are helping lutherie school students make informed choices about materials and learn how to be compliant with changing regulations. Our program currently has lessons on environmental concerns, ebony alternatives, and regulations/sustainability. The students benefit from this program by having ebony-alternative materials, tooling, and expert instructors to provide hands-on experience. With the VSA’s grant assistance, we will be able to continue this project and expand to a larger number of schools.

Luca Jost

As the supply of traditional ebony diminishes, alternative fingerboard materials have become increasingly vital for stringed instrument hit makers. While various alternatives are commercially available, manufacturers often only provide data on density, damping, and hardness—metrics that poorly predict a fingerboard’s lifespan.

Following a proposal by Joseph Curtin, Luca Jost is conducting research to evaluate these materials specifically through their abrasion resistance. The project aims to generate actionable data to help makers select the most durable materials for their specific needs. Findings will be disseminated through publications, on-demand video, and live presentations, with project updates available via Instagram.

Jerry Lynn on behalf of American Lutherie Institute, LLC

The Goal of this project is to provide benches for the use of the Restoration Workshop in its new location, and potentially other groups - both currently active, and those yet to be conceived, with high quality plywood benches in a modified Oberlin Style. The benches have been slightly redesigned to be assembled without the need of screw drivers, wrenches, or power tools. The redesign also incorporates the use of stainless steel lamp bushings to do away with the need for the usual clamps that accompany bench lamps.

Proper Benches are the lifeblood of any endeavor involving working on instruments and bows. Moreover, benches used in a collaborative need to be compact, storable, and encourage communication between small groups of people.

Tommaso Chiesa

This project investigates Genovese violin makers from 1600 to 1800. By consulting civil and ecclesiastical archives and examining surviving instruments, Tommaso Chiesa aims to document the city’s obscure yet stylistically cohesive school. Known as "La Superba," Genova maintained a unique design-based tradition that remains under-researched, providing a significant opportunity for new scholarship.

The primary goal is to present a lecture and publish an article for the VSA outlining the history, development, and construction techniques of these makers. Chiesa believes that understanding the methods of this influential school will provide contemporary makers with invaluable insights and new technical possibilities for their craft.

MJ Kwan, Sam Zygmuntowicz & Dr. Sebastian Gonzalez 

The team applies advanced statistical methodologies to 53 Zygmuntowicz instruments to examine the nuanced relationships between construction parameters and resultant sound, measuring how specific variables influence spectral regions and quantifying their impact on sound radiation.

By mapping how specific free-plate choices such as wood density, plate mass, and bass-bar height directly influence an instrument's sound output, the research points to a potential roadmap for modern makers to use in instrument construction. The study further illustrates the scientific potential of systematic workshop data and underscores the need for thorough documentation in lutherie.

Read the study