Vermont Violins is using the Vermont STEP program to drive its remarkable growth while revolutionizing an industry rooted in tradition.
The South Burlington company is pioneering eco-conscious, innovative alternatives to traditional violin-making materials in the international world of lutherie (the art and craft of making and repairing stringed musical instruments). Vermont Violins used $15,000 in grants recently awarded by STEP to participate at Mondo Musica, Italy’s prestigious stringed instrument trade show, and to advertise in Strad Magazine, a renowned periodical in the violin community read worldwide by instrument makers, players, and dealers.
“Everyone at Vermont Violins was immensely proud and excited to have our products featured so brilliantly in this very important periodical,” Oren Kronick, co-owner of Vermont Violins, noted.
This exposure comes at an ideal time, as the violin-making community grows increasingly concerned about environmental impact and stricter regulations on endangered woods like ebony. The durable, consistent quality of GaiaTone and Sonowood are promising alternatives.
"Recent independent studies by tradesmen in the U.S. and Europe have proven that not only are the alternatives, like GaiaTone and Sonowood that we produce as violin products in South Burlington, acceptable alternatives, but our clients find them actually superior to Ebony in all measurable analytics,” the Vermont Violins team emphasized.
With support from the STEP program, Vermont Violins presented their GaiaTone and Sonowood products at the Mondo Musica trade show in Cremona, Italy. For three days, they connected with makers, dealers, and musicians who were eager to learn about the benefits of eco-friendly materials.
“Our table at Mondo Musica was extremely well received!” shared Kronick. “For three days steady, we engaged many makers, dealers, and a few players with the products that we brought.”
The team’s new carbide insert blades designed for use in standard block planes (an important woodworking tool), caught the attention of luthiers looking for sustainable solutions that also extend the life of their tools. Luthiers were highly impressed with the GaiaTone material as an alternative to ebony.
“Through a combination of the Mondo event and the Strad Magazine exposure, we engaged a wholesale supplier to add GaiaTone to their line of products,” reported Kronick.
This wholesaler’s support, alongside a budding partnership with an Italian maker of premium violin fittings, will further advance Vermont Violins’ role as a global leader in alternative materials. Vermont Violins also connected with the makers of Ebonprex, another sustainable ebony alternative, and is set to become its only U.S. distributor. They are excited to add Ebonprex alongside Sonowood and GaiaTone, to eco-friendly options for luthiers.
The trip to Mondo Musica also included a presentation at the Cremona Lutherie School, where Vermont Violins introduced GaiaTone products to faculty and students.
“We arrived at the show a day early to have a session with the faculty of the Cremona school where we presented our materials to them and many of their students, had a Prosecco (of course!) laden reception that they put on for us, and everyone had a chance to try out the GaiaTone fingerboards made in Vermont. The faculty agreed to make these alternatives a part of their curriculum, and we left them with several samples.”
These recent STEP grants helped Vermont Violins to expand their global reach and pioneer sustainable alternatives. With a new partnership, the endorsement of respected educators, and praise for their innovative products, Vermont Violins is transforming an age-old craft. As international demand for sustainable materials grows, Vermont Violins is poised to meet the moment with ingenuity, quality, and a reverence for tradition that promises a bright future for luthiers worldwide.
[The Cremona Lutherie School group.]