The Art and Science of Violin Making

Science Café will explore the science of violin making –including the recent carefully designed studies of player preferences among old and new instruments, the use of x-ray CT scanning to understand iconic violins, approaches to material selection, and measurements with modern tools as an aid in the making process.Alan will also address the question –Why, in today's high tech world, would someone take up violin making, what does this skilled profession look like in the 21stcentury?

Speaker: Alan Copeland-an award winning violin, cello and viola maker. Alan applies his knowledge of mechanical engineering to the 500 year old techniques of hand crafting string instruments. Trained as a mechanical engineer at MIT, Alan worked for over 30 years at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory before taking up violinmaking full time. His violinmaking teachers include master violinmakers Edward C. Campbell and Thomas Oliver Croen.

Reservations here.