Andrea Bischoff, violin maker in Essen (Germany)

Andrea Bischoff discovered her love of music by playing the violin. She had her first lessons at the age of ten. She subsequently engaged in other artistic activities such as drawing and experimenting in various painting techniques and styles. She ultimately found the combination of music and art in violin making and completed a three-year course at the famous Newark School of Violinmaking in England. In 1998 she passed her exam with distinction.

Andrea then focused on studying various specialised areas of violinmaking. She produced faithful copies of violins by the best-known violinmakers such as Stradivari and Guarneri del Gesu at Roger Graham Hargrave’s workshop in Meyenburg near Bremen. Hargrave is considered to be a pioneer of instrument copying of international repute and an expert in Italian instruments. During four years in his workshop Andrea Bischoff built instruments, which are played today by professional musicians in different countries.

She has honed her skills in the fields of repairs, restoration and client service over several years of working with Reinhard Fischer in Hamburg, Christoph Egenolf in Essen and at Henley's in Cologne – a cooperative of several well-known violin and bow makers. In addition, she was an assistant to Patrick Charton (France), Machold (Vienna) and Kogge & Gateau (Berlin).
 
Based on her wealth of experience, she established her own workshop in Essen in 2010. She is a member of the Violin Society of America.

Andrea Bischoff’s work is distinguished by its thoroughness and precision.

She continues to be an active musician. She plays in the Duisburg-Essen University Orchestra and in chamber music ensembles now and again.

www.andreabischoff.de