Malcolm Collins violin #26, Upper Hutt 1989

Malcolm Collins trained as a violin maker under Ian Sweetman and went on to become one of New Zealand’s most prolific and accomplished professional luthiers, with many violas and cellos to his name, as well as violins, of which this is a great example. The varnish is unusually dark, by request of its original owner, a long-term player in the NZSO. The tone is lively, with a bright, radiant, singing quality replete with a good range of colours and rich undertones. Great projection and versatility add to its properties as a very suitable violin for an advanced player.