Meet the Committee

The management committee comprises of twelve members who, excluding the administrator and magazine editor, volunteer their time in order to run the BVMA.

Members are co-opted onto the committee through the year and voted in at the AGM. From time to time there are vacancies in the committee, and we are always looking to find people with new ideas to grow the association and take it forward. If you can see yourself on the committee in the future, please make yourself known to us. 



DSC_0619.jpeg

Julian pindar: Chairman

Also: Advertising and Marketing

I trained at Merton College in violin making and repair. I then went on to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where I gained a BA in acting. I was in the acting industry for 10 years working in theatre and film, otherwise known as a jobbing actor. Throughout this time I was able to undertake some stringed instrument repairs but I returned to full time violin work when my daughter was born. The acting world, especially touring, are not conducive with family life! In that time I have built a repair and sale business in the Surrey area and also travel to China advising workshops and factories on instrument making and quality control.

contact: bvmaadvertising@gmail.com

Katy Thomas: Secretary

Also: Website Coordinator and Makers’ Day

Katy studied at the Newark School of Violin Making and graduated in 2007. After graduation she worked in Toronto repairing and restoring violins. Now she lives in Perugia, Italy and runs a workshop with her husband, Filippo Protani, a violin maker.

She’s taken part in several Halsway Restoration courses as well as Makers’ Day and looks forward to more in the future.


renato.jpg

Renato Carrano: administrator

Renato has finished the second year of studying violin making and repair at Merton College, London. Prior to beginning his training as a violin maker, he worked as a business manager.

Contact: admin@bvma.org.uk

Screenshot 2019-01-24 at 16.33.45.png

Tim Baker: Short Courses coordinator

Tim Baker graduated from the Newark School of Violin Making with distinction in 1981, and joined W.E. Hill & Sons where he trained as a bowmaker and repairer. In 1984 he joined J&A Beare Ltd, where his time was divided between bow making, restoration and the study of old bows.

More recently, he has been involved with the Oberlin Summer School in Ohio, and in 2006 worked with colleagues to establish a similar professional development course at West Dean College here in the UK.

Contact: courses@bvma.org.uk

Emma Hardy: quarterly magazine, editor

Also: Makers’ Day Subcommittee

Emma is an independent violin maker and repairer based in Sheffield where she enjoys being part of the city’s thriving music scene. She studied violin making and repair under Keith Graves at Merton College, London. Emma is also editor of the BVMA Quarterly magazine.

Contact: bvmanewsletter@gmail.com

IMG_3920.JPG

Kathrin Hügel: Short courses coordinator

Kathrin graduated from Germany’s highly reputable School of Violin Making in Mittenwald in 2012. Since then she has worked in France for 3 years and had work experience in various workshops in Germany, New York and Canada and is a regular at BVMA courses. After having worked at Philip Brown Violins as a violin maker & restorer, she has now set-up her own workshop in Strasbourg, France.

Contact: courses@bvma.org.uk


Paul Fremantle: treasurer

Also: Makers’ Day subcommittee

Paul Fremantle makes historical bowed instruments including Viols and Baroque Violins. Paul recently completed a BA in historically informed instrument making at West Dean College. Before that, Paul was an entrepreneur in the software industry.

Tibor.jpeg

Tibor Szemmelveisz: International Relations

Also: Makers’ Day subcommittee


Kai-Thomas Roth: Short Courses

Kai-Thomas Roth trained at Newark School of Violin Making and has been exclusively making bowed stringed instruments of all periods and specifications since 1986.With well over 100 cellos made to date, as well as violins, violas, viole d'amore and double basses of modern, transitional and baroque set up and even a few viols his instruments are being played all over the world.

Paul Davis: Student Representative

Also: Makers’ Day subcommittee

Sarah Turnock: Social Media

Also: Makers’ Day subcommittee

Sarah is a co owner of 23 Violins in Banbury which is a family business that specialises in sales and repair of instruments for students and amateur players. Sarah’s particular interest is varnish restoration and set up. Sarah’s principal instrument is cello.