Paul Crowley is an award-winning violin maker who individually crafts violin family instruments in his Charlottesville workshop. His instruments are played in major orchestras and chamber ensembles, by aspiring students as well as owned by university collections. Paul started his journey into violin making as a musician and sound engineer. He built his first guitar in 1993 and fell in love with the process of creating musical instruments. He graduated from the North Bennet Street School’s violin making and restoration program in 2002. After graduating, Paul worked with Michele Ashley and Marco Coppiardi for several years before heading out on his own. To date, Paul has crafted over 100 violins, violas and cellos. He has won several awards at the Violin Society of America’s international competition, encompassing both tone and workmanship. Paul regularly attends the Oberlin College violin making workshop where some of the finest violin makers in the world come together for two weeks each summer to collaborate and share new ideas. He was elected to the American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers in 2010 and is a member of the Violin Society of America. 


Awards

Violin Society of America International Competition:

2004 - Silver Medal for Violin Tone

2014 - Certificate of Merit for Violin Tone

2014 - Certificate of Merit for Viola Workmanship

 2018 - International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, Winner 21st Century Violin Search