Yael Rosenblum

Luthier

©Yael Rosenblum

At the service of music

Yael is a musician with an amazing talent for craftsmanship
She opened her first Bottega in Cremona, then moved to Turin
Her instruments play in some of the most prestigious orchestras in the world

Yael Rosenblum was born with not just one, but two, talents. The first was music – she devoted the first years of her life to becoming an accomplished violinist and violist in her country of birth, Israel. At the age of 20, she was ready to start a new chapter and take advantage of her second talent – her excellent manual skills. She spent the next 20 years in Cremona, where she learnt to be a luthier, directly from the Masters of this craft and opened her first Bottega. She is now a highly acclaimed creator of stringed instruments in Turin. Her sensitivity to music combined with her exceptional manual skills are the reasons why her violins, violas and cellos are played in some of the most prestigious orchestras in Italy, and beyond.

Interview

©Yael Rosenblum

©Yael Rosenblum

How did you become a luthier?: I started as a musician, which is not common in my craft. In 1996, I graduated from the Jerusalem Arts and Science Academy as a violinist and violist, but I soon realised that I wanted to focus on creating the actual instruments. So I moved to Cremona to learn from the Masters of this craft.
What is the added value of being a musician?: The main objective in my craft is creating the quality of sound that you want to achieve. As a musician, it’s easier for me to understand what my clients want in terms of sound. I don’t need any further intermediary.
What does well-made mean to you?: The beauty of a violin lies in how it sounds. An expert eye can recognise the purely aesthetic beauty of an instrument, but all the work that we carry out – the shape that we give, the material that we use, the thickness that we choose – is first and foremost functional to produce the optimum sound.
What is the favourite part of your job?: I do really love all the manual parts of making instruments, including the humblest tasks like sharpening tools. I also like having the opportunity to meet the musicians, and exchanging views. Nevertheless, the most rewarding aspect is listening to the sound of my instruments on the stage.

Yael Rosenblum is a master artisan: she began her career in 1999 and she started teaching in 2008