Associazione Liuteria Piemontese

The Piedmontese Violin Making Association is a volunteering association active in arts and culture, born in 2009 under the name of Associazione Segusina di Arte Liutaria, aimed at promoting and improving   the Art of Violin Making .

More specifically the Association :

-promotes the culture and the art of violin making through its conservation and diffusion in a broad sense. Thanks to first hand learning, examples and the practice of artistic matter it  aims at offering a space open to diffusion and  knowledge of the more significant sides of arts and culture using a broad array of signs and languages to keep alive  exchanges of ideas on the past, present and future;

- stands as a place of aggregation of cultural interests, trying to contribute to social and civil growth by means of education, training and continuing education, especially of the art of violin making. It focuses on broadening educational horizons of educators, teachers and social workers, so that they will pass on the love for the arts and the culture of violin making as a personal asset and a social value;

- proposes itself as a point of reference for physically challenged individuals who will find relief from their personal condition in the many aspects and expressions of the Association;

- aims at encouraging and expanding the knowledge of violin making culture and artistic culture in general, also through connections with Italian and foreign  agencies, institutions ,groups, associations and organizations.

• The Piedmontese Violin Making Association wants:

- to advocate mutual exchange of experiences and ideas through cultural and artistic activities both in Italy and abroad;

- to promote cultural and artistic activities;

- to study, to develop and to spread Italian violin making art in Italy and abroad;

-to encourage the growth of  knowledge, culture and the violin making art among its members;

-to plan and develop cultural and artistic undertakings, making partnerships – for specific projects – with institutions and other associations in Italy and abroad;

-to gather from scholars, to preserve and make documentation available  on multi-media or any other available mean; 

-to promote exhibitions, conventions, fellowship meetings, events and any kind of undertakings in Italy and abroad;

-to steer focus of educational institutions on the topic of artistic communication, promoting the study of the violin making art;

-to promote awareness and enhancement of composers, makers and artists and their works related to the Association’s goals;

-to organize shows, cultural festivals, concerts, events, public debates, publishing, conferences, meetings and other cultural activities in the field of violin making, arts, performing arts, radio, press, cinema, TV and audiovisual media.

-to coordinate, organize and plan overall cultural activities and other specific undertakings aimed at bringing up public awareness  also through the involvement of the National Government, the Regions, the Provinces, the Comuni, Committees, Agencies, institutions, schools, folk groups, organizations and other associations.

• A brief history of Piedmontese Violin Making:

Starting with Cappa Giuseppe Francesco – active at Saluzzo in the first half of the 1600s -

the Piedmontese violin making tradition dates back  four centuries . We can find true “violin maker dynasties”, as  reported by C.Canziani and Guido Rimonda in their book “Quattro Secoli di Liuteria in Piemonte” published by Regione Piemonte.

Then is the Guadagnini dynasty ,with Guadagnini Giovanni Battista ( born in Cremona in 1711 and passed away in Torino in 1786 ) followed by the Pressenda School.

Pressenda Giovanni Francesco ( born in Lequio Berra (CN) 1777 and passed away in Torino in 1854) “is considered the most prominent Italian violin maker  of the 1800s, the Stradivari of his time” [Canziani e Rimonda “Quattro Secoli di Liuteria in Piemonte” published by Reg. Piemonte.]

Following the lead of master-pupil relationships and family ties, Pressenda Giovanni Francesco is followed by Rinaldi Gioffredo Benedetto (active in Torino around 1850), then by Marengo Rinaldi Romano (Alba 1866 - Torino 1935),  then  Marchetti Enrico (Milano 1855 - Torino 1930) and last by  Curletto Anselmo born in  Torino in  1888 and Master  Gianfranco Dindo.

After Gianfranco Dindo we’ll find the Piedmontese Violin Making Association.

Genealogy

PRESSENDA Giovanni Francesco

Lequio Berra (Cn) 1777 - Torino 1854

RINALDI Gioffredo Benedetto

active  in Torino around 1850 - passed away in  1888

MARENGO Rinaldi Romano

Alba (Cn) 1866 - Torino 1935

MARCHETTI Enrico

Milano 1855 - Torino 1930

CURLETTO Anselmo

Torino 1888 - Torino 1973

DINDO Gianfranco

Verona 1930

-         Artistic Director

Piedmontese Violin Making Association