Joseph Curtin

Joseph Curtin is a master violinmaker who crafts original, world-class violins for the twenty-first century. A luthier with research interests in nontraditional materials, nontraditional structures, and violin acoustics, Joseph Curtin studied violin at the University of Western Ontario (1971-73) and music and philosophy (1974-77) at the University of Toronto. He abandoned musical performance for lutherie when he came under the tutelage of violinmaker, Otto Erdesz, in 1977. He apprenticed with Erdesz for several years and worked in workshops in Italy and France. In 1985, he established a workshop with partner, Gregg Alf, with whom he built instruments for twelve years under the name Curtin & Alf. He founded his independent workshop, Joseph Curtin Studios, in 1997. He also co-directs the Violin Society of America’s acoustic workshop at Oberlin College, is a trustee and contributing editor for the Catgut Acoustical Society, and is a regular contributor to The Strad magazine.