Links to Instrument Societies
These are a few societies, guilds and organizations that are associated
with bows, bowed stringed instruments, or acoustics in general. I am always looking to
expand my listings of organizations, especially those pertaining to violin and bow makers.
If you know of organizations that ought to be included on this page please e-mail me at:
dvz@vanzandtviolins.com
updated
03 March, 2008
- The American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers
Elevating professional standards of craftsmanship and ethical conduct on an
international level.
A.F.V.B.M., Inc.
The Electric Carriage House
321 Columbus Ave
Boston, MA 02116
E-mail, Christopher Reuning, President: creuning@reuning.com
E-mail, Marilyn Wallin, Secretary: MJWallin@aol.com
The AFVBM Web Page
- The Violin Society of America
Founded in 1973, the Violin Society of America was created for the purpose
of promoting the art and science of making, repairing and preserving stringed musical instruments and
their bows. Membership in the VSA is open to all who share an interest in the violin, viola, cello, bass
and their bows, and thus reflects a broad and diverse range of interests and concerns, including craftsmanship,
acoustics, innovation, the history of instruments and performers, technique, performance practice, repertory and
other matters pertaining to instruments of the violin family.
48 Academy Street
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
Tel.(914)452-7557
Fax(914)452-7618
E-mail: membership@vsa.to
Membership dues:
$75.00 yearly, or $100.00 for 2 years (student & institutional memberships also available), includes the
Journal of the VSA
Violin Society of America Homepage
- Associazione Europea Maestri Liutai e Archettai
A.K.A. European Association of Violin and Bow Makers
A.K.A. Verband Europaischer Geigen- und Bogenbau Meister
A.K.A. Association Europeenne des Maitres Luthiers et Archetiers
E-mail: For more information
The A.E.L. Web Page
- The British Violin Making Association
Paul Collins, Secretary
13 Washington Road
Maldon, Essex, CM9 6BL
E-mail: secretary@bvma.org.uk
Yearly dues (as of June 2001): 30 £ [30 GB pounds sterling]
Includes Quarterly Newsletter
The British Violin Makers
Association Homepage
- Groupement des Luthiers et Archetiers d'Art de France
Créé en 1960, le groupement des luthiers et
archetiers d'art de France s'est fixé pour but de promouvoir la facture
instrumentale moderne tout en oeuvrant pour la sauvegarde du patrimoine
d'instruments anciens.
Le GLAAF Web Site
- Violin Makers Association of Arizona International
5215 Wigton Drive
Houston, Texas
Telephone/FAX: (713) 729-7096
For further information e-mail: George E. Thomas
or Bill Scruggs, Membership
Chairman
The Violin Makers Association of Arizona International (VMAAI) is an educational
organization founded in 1958 to encourage and develop the art of violin
making. The association is the oldest violin making association in the United
States. The organization features an annual convention and violin making
competition and a monthly publication, the VMAAI Journal. Member articles,
correspondence and questions are the backbone of the Journal and the
association. Novice and beginning makers are encouraged and given special
attention. The VMAAI welcomes any inquires about membership. The current (2000) annual dues
for members in the USA and Canada are $20.00 (USD). The current annual dues for all other
international members are $30.00 (USD)
- The Michigan Violinmakers Association
Gary DiCarlo, contact person
18101 Cascade Court
Brownstown MI 48192
The MVA meets four times a year at various locations around Michigan
Dues for 1998 are $16.00 (US) in Canada, Mexico and US... overseas $22.00
Includes an excellent newsletter
- The Southern California Association of Violin Makers
Diane Gravlin, Membership-Treasurer
P.O. Box 69
Bonsall, CA 92003
(760) 724-6331

Open Membership
Yearly Dues: $25 (US) for those in North America (all others $25)
Monthly Meetings, Monthly Bulletins, Periodic Exhibitions and other activities
The SCAVM Homepage
- The Catgut Acoustical Society
112 Essex Avenue
Montclair, NJ 07042
Phone: (201) 744-4029
FAX: (201) 744-9197
Yearly membership dues: $45.00, includes the CAS Journal
Catgut Acoustical Society Homepage
CAS Library Homepage, courtesy of the Center for Computer Research in Music &
Acoustics at Stanford University
- Nederlandse Groep van Viool- en Strijkstokkenmakers
(The Dutch Group of Violin & Bow Makers)
Pastoor Ohilaan 31
3451 CB VLEUTEN, The Netherlands
Phone: +31 (0)30 677 4123
FAX: +31 (0)30 677 4124
E-mail: Info@ngv-vioolbouw.nl
NGV Homepage This is a wonderful interactive website.
An organization of professional violin and bow makers working in the Netherlands.
- The Guild of American Luthiers
8222 South Park Ave
Tacoma, WA 98408-5226
Phone/FAX: (253) 472-7853
Yearly dues: $42.00, ($46.00[US] Canada/Mexico, $52.00[US] Overseas) includes the
quarterly GAL publication AMERICAN LUTHERIE
The Guild of American Luthiers Homepage
E-mail: orders@luth.org
- Early Music America
Beverly Simmons, Executive Director
Early Music America
11421-1/2 Bellflower Road
Cleveland, OH 44106 USA
Phone: (216) 229-1685
FAX: (216) 229-1688
Email: info@earlymusic.org or EMAoffice@aol.com
Yearly associate membership dues: $20.00, includes the quarterly magazine EARLY
MUSIC AMERICA.
Early Music America Homepage Lots of good early
music links.
- The Viola d'Amore Society of America
39-23 47th Street
Sunnyside, New York 11104
Dues are 18.00/year (US) and 21.00/year for overseas [These numbers may be out of date]
Includes twice yearly newsletter
The
VdASA Homepage
- VIOLA da GAMBA SOCIETY OF AMERICA
Founded in 1962, the VdGSA is a society of players, builders, publishers,
distributors, restorers and others sharing a serious interest in music for viols and other
early bowed string instruments.
Yearly membership dues (as of March, 2008): $30 U.S. and Canada ($20 for first year),
$25 for US and Canadian Students, $35 all other countries.
Membership includes
The quarterly
VdGSA NEWS and
the annual
VdGSA
JOURNAL.
For More information:
E-mail For more
information about the VdGSA
The VdGSA Homepage
- The American Viola Society
The American Viola Society (AVS) is an association for the promotion of viola performance and research.
It promotes interest in the viola by encouraging performance and recording
at the highest artistic level, by the continued study and research of the
viola and its repertoire, and by providing a vehicle for the ongoing
development of the fraternal bond among violists.
Madeleine Crouch, AVS General Manager
14070 Proton Rd. Suite 100
Dallas, TX 75244
Phone: (972) 233-9107 ext. 204
Email:info@avsnationaloffice.org
Various levels of Membership - includes two yearly issues of the AVS JOURNAL
The American Viola Society Homepage
- Japan String Instrument Makers Association (JSIMA)
19-9 Sanou-cho, Inage-ku
Chiba-shi, Chiba, Japan
Telephone: 81-3-3760-3495 (c/o Hirotaka WATANABE)
Fax: 81-3-3714-3839
E-mail: hirolute@dh.catv.ne.jp
JSIMA Homepage
JSIMA is a group organized with the stringed instrument makers, the repair
engineers, and the corporations related to music in Japan.
- The Fellowship of Makers & Researchers of Historical Instruments
FoMRHI was founded in 1975 as an organization of people
concerned with historical musical instruments. Its aim is to promote authenticity
in the preservation of original instruments, in making reproductions of such instruments, and in their use.
For more information please contact:
Hon. Treasurer and Membership Secretary:
David Armitage
London Metropolitan University
41-71 Commercial Road
London E1 1LA, U.K.
Subscription: 10.50 pounds sterling, 13.50 for overseas.
Includes FoMRHI Quarterly, a bulletin of notes and news
(FoMRHI) Homepage
- The Galpin Society
The Society was formed in October 1946 for the publication of original research
into the history, construction, development and use of musical instruments.
Membership (as of March, 2008): 22 to 36 Pounds sterling depending on location.
Subscriptions or enquires about membership should be sent to:
Maggie Kilbey, Administrator, The Galpin Society,
37 Townsend Drive,
ST ALBANS AL3 5RF,
Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
The Galpin Society Homepage
Application form for
membership
- The American Nyckelharpa Association
The American Nyckelharpa Association is a non-profit corporation for the
preservation and fostering of the nyckelharpa (sometimes called the Swedish Key Fiddle).
For Membership information contact:
American Nyckelharpa Association
c/o Karen Myers
17345 Raven Rocks Road
Bluemont, VA 20135
E-Mail: membership@nyckelharpa.org
Annual memberships (as of March, 2008): $10 - $20
Members will receive the quarterly newsletter
Nyckel Notes
The ANA Homepage
The ANA Membership Form
- Hardanger Fiddle Association of America
P.O. Box 23046
Minneapolis, MN 55423-0046 USA
The HFAA webpage
More information: Membership@hfaa.org
MEMBERSHIP LEVELS & DUES
- Individual: $30.00 (outside USA $40.00)
- Family: $35.00 (outside USA $45.00)
- Institutional: $35.00 (outside USA $45.00)
- Scandinavian Old Time Fiddle Society
(218) 724-6801
4127 Kingston Road
Duluth, MN 55803-1218
Eugene M. Peters, Exec. Director
Scandinavian Old Time Fiddle Society Homepage
E-mail: fiddleorg@aol.com
The Society provides students with stringed instruments and encourage them to gain further
knowledge of their Scandinavian heritage.
Copyright © David T. Van
Zandt, 1997 - 2008. All rights reserved.. All rights reserved
since 21 March, 2001
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