Emma hardy viola

Based on the Strad Archinto model, this is a lovely new viola by up and coming maker Emma Hardy. It has a strong and powerful character, great playability and warmth of tone. Set up with Larsen strings by the maker herself.

Available for trial at our Stamford Shop now.

measurements

Width of Top Bout: 187mm
Width of Lower Bout: 244mm
​Length of back: 414mm (16 ¼ inches)
Body Stop: 222mm
String Length: 375mm

about the maker Emma Hardy

Emma Hardy is a violin maker based in Sheffield. She studied violin making and repair under Keith Graves at Merton College and continued her development thereafter via a variety of work placements with makers and repairers across the UK. After completing her training she relocated to Sheffield to have better access to the outdoors and to join Sheffield’s thriving music scene of which she is an active participant. Since 2018 she has been a committee member of the British Violin Making Association, acting as a co-ordinator for the annual Makers' Day exhibition and editor of the Quarterly Magazine. 

Emma's making ethos is to take inspiration and guidance from the great makers of the past, but does not allow herself to be strictly bound by them. As such, most of her instruments use the basic outline of a historical maker, such as Stradivari or Del Gesu, but the character of the wood she is using, the kind of sound she's aiming to produce and the shapes created by her tools guides the rest. She also often draws inspiration from the Yorkshire landscape around her, and has recently completed a decorated folk fiddle, which is to be the subject of a documentary film 'Folk Who Roam'.