Jan van der Elst

As a child, Jan van der Elst was particularly fascinated by the shape of the violin. Later, he earned a living for several years as a violinist in the Celtic folk music scene and, from 1986 to 1989, trained as a violin maker in Newark, England. Since 1991, he has been an independent violin maker in Dordrecht. Van der Elst made a conscious decision early on to combine violin making with a broad-based business in stringed instruments. This deliberate choice allows him to maintain contact with string players from all corners of the music world, which—as he himself says—gives him a fresh perspective on the music world. He sees not being entirely dependent on violin making alone as a major advantage, as it allows him to build with complete freedom.

Over more than thirty years, Jan van der Elst has gained extensive experience in optimizing the sound of string instruments through the combination of his activities as a musician and violin maker. For him, playing music and building instruments are therefore inextricably linked! As he himself says: “It gives me a better understanding of my own work.”