Lasse Krogh Johannsen on the New Larsen Strings Aurora Set for Viola

Following the releases of the Aurora set for violin and cello, the viola set is completing the family of strings

The Violin Channel recently sat down with with Lasse Krogh Johannsen, the developer of the brand-new Larsen Strings Aurora Set for Viola.

Tell us about your new Larsen Aurora viola string set?

The new Larsen Aurora Viola set is meant to finalize the Aurora strings series. Now Larsen Strings have a great competitive set prize-wise for all three instrument groups; violin, viola, and cello.
The Aurora Viola is the first set that I led the developing of. That being said, the whole Larsen Strings organization and musicians from all over the world contributed to this release.

You released the Aurora full set for cello and the Aurora set for violin in 2021. I have heard many musicians were waiting for the viola set! Does it have similar timbre and responsiveness qualities?

The strings were designed with respect to the other Aurora strings' qualities while incorporating new production concepts and materials for the viola strings to ensure the best possible combination of sound properties and a long lifetime.

How does this set differ from the other viola string sets in the Larsen family?

The Aurora Viola is a more focused set compared to the other Larsen viola strings and is aimed to support the wonderful sound of a viola with a somewhat brighter and more carrying tone.

Is this set best suited for old or modern instruments?

The Aurora Viola is more direct sounding compared to the other strings Larsen Strings have on the market for violas. Whether it suits old or modern instruments is up to the musicians, instruments, playing styles, and timbre preferences. Maybe the strings will have a longer playing-in time on very bright and focused instruments, but with any other instruments it is worth trying.

Can all players enjoy them regardless of their level?

Indeed yes. Since our intense product testing phase, these strings have already been played by both highly professional violists as well as amateurs. The Aurora Viola strings combine a very high quality and a very competitive price. (It is almost like the price versus performance is out of line.)

What is your advice for musicians in the process of trying out new strings?

When a violist is in need of new strings they should find which sound description/place in our sound chart fits their instrument and playing style, and give a try to the strings in that category. The violists will (hopefully) be surprised over how much performance you can get from the Aurora strings at such a competitive price. To quote Larsen Artist Lourdes Rosales: “I no longer have to choose between quality and affordability…”. So even professional musicians will find the strings perform well.

How long does it take to create a new string set from conception to distribution? Can you tell us a little more about the different phases?

It is hard to say how much time it takes to develop new strings, but for Larsen Strings it is all about the music. Typically, development will take at least a couple of years to finalize. These strings are the first set designed by me and crafted by all skilled colleagues in Larsen Strings.
For Aurora Viola, it started with an idea at the crossroad between sales and development to fill a gap in our catalog. I was appointed to lead the development. Dr. Thomas Zwieg had great confidence that I could do it.
It started more than two years ago with the first new prototype followed by over forty different prototype strings that were tested with several viola players.
With the few prototypes that were found to be best performing within our requirements, the next step was to optimize them to get the best strings possible. The optimization step was repeated numerous times.
When the prototypes were ready for production, the more boring steps for the musicians and developers began; securing the supply of materials to be able to deliver strings to the Larsen Strings sales channels all over the world.

Are there any specifics to take into consideration when producing viola strings?

When designing viola strings you need to mix production knowledge from both violin and cello string design. Typically, the A string has a steel core like cello strings, and the three other strings have a synthetic core like the three lower violin strings. So one must be aware of how these two string manufacturing technologies will play well together sound-wise. Violas come in many different sizes, whereas both violins and cellos have more defined (fixed) sizes which adds more constraint.

Where can we buy or order the Aurora viola string set?

The Aurora Viola strings have been made available to all our international distributors. So you should be able to find them in your local music shop, at your favorite luthier, or online.

Learn more about the new strings on Larsen Strings website.