Joe Thrift Workshop 2023

[Jim Bress]

Joe Thrift's Workshop is coming up. Last year was the first year since the Covid gap. There wasn't any advertisement because all the seats were filled by previous attendees. This year Joe has two workshops. The second one is in Mass with his protege Russell. Russell has been having success making and selling Joe's 5 string model. Joe's curriculum is based on what you bring to the bench, plus what other folks are working on. 

Cheers,

Jim

[Tryplane]

See below for more details about the violin making workshops that Jim B posted above.  Jim and I have attended Joe’s workshops in the past and we continue to attend.  The workshops are incredibly informative, hands on, and Joe’s energy & enthusiasm is remarkable, typically extending into the wee hours of the night - and that includes the weekends!  There is some downtime, lovely dinners together, and a night or two w/a visitor or two coming in for a fiddle jam but mostly it’s about making instruments, 24/7.
      A personal anectdote, one morning I got to class early and caught Joe going bench to bench to look at the progress being made by each participant.  He was noting what he needed to review w/each maker that day.  JH
 

From Joe Thrift:

Summertime Violin Making Workshops - 2023

 

I started making violins in 1976.

I started teaching violin making in the fall of 2013 and began offering an intensive 2 week workshop in the summer of 2016. This year, 2023, I will teach two violin making workshops during the summer, in charming Elkin, NC in June, and in beautiful Turners Falls, Mass. in July. Each workshop offers two week-long sessions, running consecutively, for students with some violin making experience. Attend one or both weeks. Or all 4 weeks!

 

WORKSHOP #1 

in Elkin, North Carolina, offered through the Foothills Arts Center. June 5-10 and June 12-17. Instruction by Luthier and Violin Making teacher Joe Thrift. Workshops begin at 9:00 am each day and end when the group comes to a stopping point.  The concept of these intensive work periods is to provide support and instruction on your work in progress, regardless of each students needs or level of expertise, or of the stage of completion your fiddle is in. We will look at and talk about everything.

 

WORKSHOP #2

taking place in Turners Falls, Massachusetts , is offered through McCumber Violin Shop. July 24-28 and July 31-Aug 4. Instructed by Joe Thrift and assisted by Russel McCumber. Workshops begin at 9am each day and end when the group comes to a stopping point. Week #1 will focus on co-building a new violin, as well as working on each  individual’s instruments. Week #2 will continue the co-build, learn about the varnish and antiquing methods that Joe and Russell have developed, and continue working on individual fiddles.

 

Cost for 1  intensive week of work and fun is $900. $1800 for a two week session. 

Participants should bring instruments in progress and finished instruments for tonal adjustment and set up adjustment.

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION and questions about what to expect, what materials to bring, scheduling, accommodation, etc., contact Joe Thrift at 336-406-1608 ( text or call w/message) . 

 

To REGISTER for workshops :

 

In Elkin contact Dan Butner , Director Foothills Arts Center. info@foothillsarts.org.

 

In Turners Falls contact Russell McCumber  owner and Luthier at RD McCumber Violin Shop 518-316-0981

[gaseff]

And some video:

https://www.kcts9.org/show/woodwrights-shop/episode/woodwrights-shop-violin-maker-joe-thrift

 

[russellmccumber]

Looking forward to hosting the second of these summer workshops here at my shop in western Massachusetts. Folks who have taken Joe's workshops in the past rave about them. If you think you'd like to attend please contact me or Joe. Thanks, Russell

[del Gesu 2]

Joe Thrift here…I’m looking forward to both of these workshops. Always interesting to see what makers are working on and how they approach the process. 

[Jim Bress]

Here’s a couple of pics from last year with the group build fiddle. The varnish/antiquing is still in progress. 
 

[saintjohnbarleycorn]

yes great class , have taken three, big difference in my  instrument making  

[Jim Bress]

Hey Kevin, are you going this year? If so, are you going to head north or south? We’re both roughly halfway between both workshops. I’ll be heading down to Joe’s for both weeks.  

[saintjohnbarleycorn]

yes looking forward to it , always a great learning experience and a good comradery