17" David Burgess viola, Ann Arbor 1979

Among the most celebrated American makers working today, David Burgess has won more violin making contests than any other violin maker in history. Born in Princeton, New Jersey, Burgess played the violin before becoming interested in violin making. After working for several years with Hans Weisshaar in Los Angeles, California, he moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan to establish his own workshop in 1976. Having won numerous Gold medals, Burgess was designated "Hors Concours" by both the Violin Society of America and the American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers, and he was the first American to win the International Triennale Violin Making Competition Antonio Stradivari in Cremona, Italy. David is a member of the Entente Internationale Des Maitres Luthiers et Archetiers D'art, and he has served on the Board of Governors of the AFVBM, as a teacher and program director at the VSA Oberlin College workshops, and as a judge in international competitions. Burgess has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, The Strad magazine, and numerous other periodicals, newspapers, and television and radio broadcasts. His instruments are highly desirable and have been commissioned by top players throughout the world.