American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers

Ann Arbor

Joseph Curtin builds violins & violas on a commission basis. Prices start at $38,000. Instruments are occasionally available for immediate sale.

Joseph Curtin Studios is located just outside Ann Arbor, Michigan, a half-hour drive from Detroit airport. If you would like to visit, please contact us for an appointment and directions. Note that we sell and service only instruments by Joseph Curtin, or by Curtin & Alf.

Joseph Curtin was born in 1953 in Toronto, Canada. He began violin lessons at age 12, went on to study music and philosophy at the University of Toronto, and then viola performance with the Israeli soloist Rivka Golani.

In 1977 Curtin took up violin making under the guidance of the Otto Erdesz, and subsequently worked as a maker in Toronto, Paris, and Cremona. In 1985 he moved to Ann Arbor, where he and Gregg Alf set up shop as Curtin & Alf. Twelve years later Curtin opened his own studios. In 2005 Curtin was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship.

Curtin has written extensively on the art and science of violin-making. He is a frequent contributor to The Strad, Strings, and VSA Papers. Since the early 1990s, he has pursued a strong interest in acoustics and innovation. Curtin and D'Addario string designer Fan Tao co-founded and co-direct the VSA Oberlin Acoustics Workshop, which brings makers and researchers together each year for a week of talks and hands-on experimentation. 

Curtin lives with his wife, singer/song-writer/performance artist Jesse Richards. He works out of a studio by their home on the Huron River.