bio

I started my apprenticeship as a violinmaker at the age of 19 at the Violinmaking school in Mittenwald, a place with a deep-seated respect for tradition, which cultivates and perpetuates a high level of technical skills and craftsmanship.

Two years in Hieronymus Köstler's workshop in Stuttgart followed the school and gave me insight into repair and restoration, as well as providing me with the opportunity to make my first copies of old italian instruments. From Stuttgart an interest in bowmaking took me to Cremona where I trained and received a degree in the bowmaking classes of Emilio Slaviero and Giovanni Lucchi. The next year, I opened my own workshop near Florence. For seven years I specialised in making new instruments, in particular copies of historical instruments.

In 1997, my family and I moved to Cully on Lake Geneva, where I set up my new workshop for the manufacture of new violins, violas and cellos along the same principles that I had already chosen to follow in Italy.

In the following years I took part in various international competitions, and I am proud to say that every instrument submitted was awarded a prize. I am a founder member of “Klanggestalten”, a German partnership of about 20 instrument and bowmakers, as well as helping to initiate the festival “Cullyclassique” in 2004, which has gained a reputation as a small but serious and successful event of classical music.

Most of the instruments from my workshop are copies of classical Italian models of the 17th and 18th centuries, either built to order, or from an original idea and initiative: but always intended for a musician.

Several foundations, active in Switzerland, Europe and abroad, have bought instruments from my Cully workshop.

Over the last ten years, Michael Stürzenhofecker’s Atelier has entered Internationally renowned competitions in violinmaking. Each instrument submitted was awarded a prize.

  • Manchester 1998
  • Manchester 2001
  • Manchester 2007
  • BVMA London 2004
  • Cremona 2009
awards
2010

Ole Bull 2010, Permanenten Vestlanske Kunstindustrimuseum Bergen, Norway
During the “Festspillene i Bergen 2010” dedicated to the famous violinist Ole Bull, an exibition of 14 late violins by Guarneri del Gesù was organized by Dextra Musica at the Kunstindustrimuseum. A group of seven violinmakers was invited to build a copy of Ole Bull’s own del Gesù violin, on show as part of the exhibition. The process took place in the same museum, open to the public for the seven weeks of construction. Robin and Michael Stürzenhofecker finalized the instrument varnish and set-up.

2010

Klanggestalten 2010, Berlin
The internationally renowned group of violinmakers held their 13th annual exposition in Berlin. The highlight was an exceptional concert featuring the Deutsche Streicherphilharmonie under Michael Sanderling, with all members playing new instruments from the exhibition. The young German soloist Isang Enders played the Schumann cello concerto on an instrument by Michael Stürzenhofecker.

2011

Atelier Européen de Luthiers et Archetiers, Paris
Exposition of 8 violinmakers and 5 bowmakers at the Fondation Singer-Polignac

2012

Klanggestalten 2012, Berlin

2014

Klanggestalten 2014, Berlin

Our Workshop is working for international foundations :

  • Dextra Musica Olso
  • Fondation Lalive Geneva
  • Rahn Kulturfonds Zürich
  • Fondation Neva Geneva
  • Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben Hamburg

Background music performed by Sandra Lied Haga, playing Schumann on an instrument by Michael Stürzenhofecker.