2023 VIOLINS AND VIOLAS COMPETITION
Craftsmanship Judges: Chris Germain, Daniel Gillespie, Erik Iván Diaz-Garcia (our 2021 Gold Medalist).
Tone Judges: William Wolcott, Cuauhtemoc Morales
Violin
Workmanship Tone
1st Kristin Ballenger Kruno Kupresanin
2cnd Jaime Gabriel Gonzalez Mike Dunham
3rd Don Leister Brian Kelly
Cert. Brian Kelly Larni Prichard
Cert. Felix Ochoa Don Leister
Viola
Workmanship Tone
1st Brian Kelly Don Leister
2cnd Don Leister Don Leister
3rd Brian Kelly
Southern
Brian Kelly
Novice
Larni Prichard
2021 VIOLINS AND VIOLAS COMPETITION
Craftsmanship Judges: Stephanie Voss, Jerry Pascewicz, Jamie Gonzalez (our 2019 Gold Medalist).
Tone Judges: Jonathan Wright, Juan Ramirez, Olga Shpitko
Violin Workmanship
Gold: Erik Iván Diaz-Garcia
Silver: Pablo Alfaro
Bronze: Felix Sandre Ochoa
Certificate of Merit: Michael Dunham
Certificate of Merit: J. Wesley Rule
Violin Tone
Gold: J. Wesley Rule
Silver: Henry Fisher
Bronze: Pablo Alfaro
Certificate of Merit: David Chandler
Certificate of Merit: Jim Clinton
Viola Workmanship
Gold: Pablo Alfaro
Silver: Liliana Holguín Barraza
Bronze: Ken Cousson
Viola Tone
Gold: Pablo Alfaro
Silver: Liliana Holguín Barraza
Bronze: David Chandler
Southern Maker Award (Highest combined score for a Southern Region maker)
J. Wesley Rule
Novice Maker Award
(Highest craftsmanship score for maker with 10 or less completed instruments)
Liliana Holguín Barraza
Highest Workmanship Score Violin or Viola – Next Competition Judge
Erik Iván Diaz-Garcia
2019 violins and violas competition
Workmanship judges:
Christopher Germain -- Philadelphia, PA; Gary Vessel -- Modesto, California; Alvaro Corrochano -- New York, NY (our 2017 1st Prize winner in Violin Workmanship!)
tone judges:
Juan Ramirez, Atlanta Symphony; Alex Shlifer, Greenville Symphony
Violin - Workmanship
1st Place - Jaime G. Gonzalez of Guadalajara, Mexico
2nd Place – Edward Byler of Bonner’s Ferry, ID
3rd Place - Edward Byler, of Bonners' Ferry, ID
Certificate of Merit - Dirk Henry of Omaha, NE
Certificate of Merit - Jason Starkie of Seattle, WA
Certificate of Merit - Pablo Alfaro of Atlanta, GA.
Violin - Tone
1st Place - Edward Byler of Bonners' Ferry, ID
2nd Place - Edward Byler of Bonner’s Ferry, ID
3rd Place - Dirk Henry of Omaha, NE
Certificate of Merit - Jason Starkie of Seattle, WA
Certificate of Merit - David Finck of Banner Elk, NC
Certificate of Merit - Ray Leicht of Tuscaloosa, AL
Viola - Workmanship
1st Place - Cameron Robertson of Atlanta, GA.
2nd Place - Dirk Henry of Omaha, NE
3rd Place - No Award for Workmanship was issued
Viola - Tone
1st Place - Dirk Henry of Omaha, NE
2nd Place - David Chandler of High Point, NC
3rd Place - Tim Summerville of Palatine, Illinois
Certificate of Merit - David Chandler of High Point, NC
Certificate of Merit – Evan Smith of Idaho Falls,ID
2017 violins-only competition
The first bi-annual makers competition took place on April, 2017 at The Wildacres Retreat in Little Switzerland, North Carolina and was open only to violins.
WORKMANSHIP JUDGES:
Chris Germain, Philadelphia, PA; Kelvin Scott, Knoxville, TN; John Montgomery, Charlotte, NC
TONE JUDGES:
Juan Ramirez, Atlanta Symphony; Pablo Alfaro, Atlanta, GA
violin workmanship
1 st Alvaro Corrochano ---- New York City, NY
2nd Cameron Robertson -----Atlanta, GA
3rd Jennifer Halenar -------Nashville
Certificate of MERIT Ed Byler -------- Bonners Ferry, ID ( violin "D”)
Honorable Mention Ed Byler — Bonners Ferry, ID
Honorable Mention Joe Thrift ------ Elkin, NC
Honorable Mention Greg Tracy ------- Raleigh, NC
violin tone
1st Jack Rasmussen -- Arlington, Texas
2nd Ed Byler ----- Bonners Ferry, ID
3rd Ivan Bonev -------Arlingon Texas
Cert of Merit Ray Leicht ----- Tuscaloose, AL ( violin “BB”)
Hon Mention Ray Leight
Hon Mention Jennifer Halenar, Nashville, TN
Hon Mention team of Adam Goltry/Dustin Fagg/Greg Tracy ------ Raleigh NC