An Inside Look at New York's Contemporary Violin and Bow Makers Exhibition

Hosted annually since 2011 by Julie Reed Yeboah from Reed Yeboah Fine Violins and Yi-Ping Yang, the Contemporary Violin and Bow Makers Exhibition brings together today's finest instrument makers to display their violins, violas, and cellos for musicians to play and hear.

The 2024 Contemporary Violin and Bow Makers’ Exhibition will be hosted at The Kosciuszko Foundation at 15E 65th St. The Opening Night Concert of this year's exhibition will be streamed LIVE on The Violin Channel on November 1 at 7 PM (ET). 

We talked to the Reed Yeboah Fine Violins team to learn more about this year's event.

Tell us about the Contemporary Violin and Bow Makers Exhibition. When was the exhibit created and what is its main mission?

This is year number 13 of the Exhibition. Lucky us! We technically should be a year older but we took a year off during Covid.

The mission of the Exhibition has always been to celebrate the work of living violin and bow makers from across the globe - and to introduce string players, and string instrument enthusiasts alike to the extraordinary output of contemporary instrument makers. I've heard Julie say many times that she feels we are in a truly special time for violin making because the quality of the instruments being made is absolutely extraordinary. It is a pleasure for all of us to highlight this high level of contemporary making through the Exhibition.

What can people expect to see at the exhibition?

The event will showcase over 45 violins, violas, and cellos (real number is going to be 47 or 48 - still TBA), and over 35 bows(again real number TBA) made by an exceptional roster of makers from around the world. Some makers will be familiar to those who have attended the event before. But we also look to expand our reach every year to include new participants. Our participants are always invited directly by Julie Reed-Yeboah and Yi-Ping Yang which is really special because we are able to forge strong relationships and partnerships, some of which have lasted decades!

Can everyone attending try out instruments?

All of the instruments and bows are available to try, so we hope there is a good fit for everyone. And if you do happen to find something that you can't live without, they are all for sale!

For those looking for an instrument, what is your advice for getting the most out of an event like this?

If you are planning to attend the event, you don't need to RSVP. You can simply walk in any time between 10:30AM-6PM from November 2-4. There are also a few private rooms available for those who wish to have some time with the instruments away from the bustle of the main event that are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

There's a lot to see at the event, so it can be helpful to come in with a little bit of background knowledge on the makers. You can find this on our website at www.reedyeboahviolins.com. We've included pictures, bios, and photos of the instruments wherever possible. Our staff, including Julie Reed-Yeboah and Yi-Ping Yang, will also be on site to help with any questions you might have.