Phillipe Raynaud

Philippe Raynaud was born in France and began his violin making apprenticeship in 1973 with Jean Ullry. During the next 10 years, he trained with J.F. Schmitt in Lyon and Ch.L. Hommel in Marseilles.

In the early 1980s, he spent two years in Istanbul, Turkey, employed by the Turkish National Conservatory to repair instruments and to assist student musicians.

In 1994, Philippe opened his own workshop in Paris and then Dieppe where he created a line of handmade small violas for children that was so successful he sold nearly 200. Once a week he treated himself to a visit to the famous Etienne Vatelot shop in Paris where he could examine the fine Italian instruments on display.

He moved to the United States in 1996 and worked at Stamell Stringed Instruments in Amherst, Mass. before joining Reuning & Son Violins in 2001 to perform repair and restoration on fine old instruments. Today he continues to do expert work at Carriage House Violins while making new instruments in his free time.