Samuel Zygmuntowicz
Encyclopedia
Samuel Zygmuntowicz is a contemporary luthier
. He began his instrument making training when he was thirteen years old and studied making and restoration under Peter Prier, Carl Becker and Rene Morel.
Zygmuntowicz was born in Philadelphia and is a graduate of the Violin Making School of America in Salt Lake City. Later he received five years of additional training in the restoration workshop of Jacques Français and René Morel. Since 1985 he has been based in Brooklyn, New York, often making replicas of classic instruments.
Isaac Stern
owned two of his violins. After Stern died in 2001, both violins were sold at a Tarisio
auction in 2003. Each violin surpassed the previous record for the highest price paid for a string instrument by a living maker at auction. One of the instruments sold in 2003 was a Guarneri-model violin made by Zygmuntowicz in 1994 for Stern. That 1994 violin currently holds the record for the highest price paid for a string instrument by a living maker at auction. The violin was sold by Tarisio for US$
130,000.
In their 2008 recording of Bach fugues, the Emerson String Quartet
all played Zygmuntowicz instruments.
Luthier
A luthier is someone who makes or repairs lutes and other string instruments. In the United States, the term is used interchangeably with a term for the specialty of each maker, such as violinmaker, guitar maker, lute maker, etc...
. He began his instrument making training when he was thirteen years old and studied making and restoration under Peter Prier, Carl Becker and Rene Morel.
Zygmuntowicz was born in Philadelphia and is a graduate of the Violin Making School of America in Salt Lake City. Later he received five years of additional training in the restoration workshop of Jacques Français and René Morel. Since 1985 he has been based in Brooklyn, New York, often making replicas of classic instruments.
Isaac Stern
Isaac Stern
Isaac Stern was a Ukrainian-born violinist. He was renowned for his recordings and for discovering new musical talent.-Biography:Isaac Stern was born into a Jewish family in Kremenets, Ukraine. He was fourteen months old when his family moved to San Francisco...
owned two of his violins. After Stern died in 2001, both violins were sold at a Tarisio
Tarisio Auctions
- Tarisio Auctions :This is the main page for Tarisio Auctions, the online string instrument auction house. For the Italian violin collector, see Luigi Tarisio....
auction in 2003. Each violin surpassed the previous record for the highest price paid for a string instrument by a living maker at auction. One of the instruments sold in 2003 was a Guarneri-model violin made by Zygmuntowicz in 1994 for Stern. That 1994 violin currently holds the record for the highest price paid for a string instrument by a living maker at auction. The violin was sold by Tarisio for US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
130,000.
In their 2008 recording of Bach fugues, the Emerson String Quartet
Emerson String Quartet
The Emerson String Quartet is a New York–based string quartet in residence at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Previously the Quartet was in residence at The Hartt School. Formed in 1976, they have released more than twenty albums and won nine Grammy Awards. Both violinists...
all played Zygmuntowicz instruments.
External links
- Samuel Zygmuntowicz at Violinist.com
- Samuel Zygmuntowicz interview at National Public Radio