In tune with the past
- Judith opened her own workshop in 1984
- She was named Maître d’Art by the French Minister of Culture in 2018
- Music, musicians and instruments of all kinds are major influences
For Judith Kraft the discovery of her vocation came, conveniently, just as she had abandoned her academic studies, at the age of 20. When she announced to her grandfather, in New York, that she was training to be a luthier, he immediately opened the Yellow Pages to check the job really existed. Upon arriving in Paris, Judith was fortunate to find an instrument maker who was willing to teach her. At that time, her only qualifications were a good ear, manual dexterity and very strong motivation. He taught her to 'reinvent' traditional instruments, and since then she has brought to life a long line of stringed instruments. For Judith, this job is a perfect fit, allowing her to combine her curiosity about how things work, her ability to build things and her love of wood and music.
INTERVIEW
It was more a revelation than a decision. It came to me one day when I found myself alone in a violin maker's workshop. As I looked around and saw workbenches set out with tools, wood and violin parts, I suddenly realised I wanted to work in a place like that.
I work almost exclusively with traditional hand tools, which allow me to get closer to the wood, to listen to it, literally, and thereby gain an understanding of how it will function and vibrate as part of an instrument. In recent years I have adopted certain Japanese tools, synonymous with precision, such as saws and knives.
Much of my work involves trying to figure out how instruments sounded when they were built in the 17th and 18th centuries or even earlier. I try to put myself in the shoes of the luthier of the time. There are no definitive answers, which gives me the freedom to reinvent techniques and to imagine sounds.
They must have intangible qualities – resonance, response, timbre – that will enhance a musician's performance. I try to make the job of playing and interpreting music easier, while creating an instrument that will inspire the musician and open new doors. It's very rewarding when it all comes together.
