The Stamford shop team
Introducing you to our shop team working at Stamford Strings, with complementary skills and talents.
Libby summers
DIRECTOR, violin maker, VIOLINIST
Founder and Director of Stamford Strings, Libby Summers graduated from The Newark School of Violin Making in 2020 after four years of study. Prior to this she had a successful career as a knitwear designer and is a published author. As well as being trained in repairs, restoration, making and bow repairs, Libby is a violin teacher with over 20 years experience. Her depth of understanding of the instrument and student requirements enhances her making and servicing skills, and her ability to respond to client's needs and expectations.
Libby will turn her hand at anything in the workshop to meet customer requirements but her special strengths are set ups and retouching. She particularly enjoys fitting new pegs, cutting bridges and making repair work disappear with her artist's palette. Libby is a member of the BVMA and ran their social media for several years. She is now Chair of The RAB Trust, a prestigious charity that raises funds and makes awards to violin making students each year.
Libby will turn her hand at anything in the workshop to meet customer requirements but her special strengths are set ups and retouching. She particularly enjoys fitting new pegs, cutting bridges and making repair work disappear with her artist's palette. Libby is a member of the BVMA and ran their social media for several years. She is now Chair of The RAB Trust, a prestigious charity that raises funds and makes awards to violin making students each year.
Charlotte mcauliffe
Cello Consultant, Cellist
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Charlotte studied at the Royal Academy of Music, with Heather Harrison. She continued her studies at the Royal Northern College of Music with Chris Hoyle, Head of Strings. Charlotte lives in Stilton, where she juggles life as mother to Felix and Poppy with a busy musical career. She particularly enjoys working as a chamber musician and adjudicator and has performed solo concerts in venues including San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice, Peterborough Cathedral, Chichester Cathedral and Oundle School as part of the Oundle International Festival. Charlotte is often engaged as a session musician and has appeared on ITV’s The X Factor live shows, as well as music videos and adverts. Charlotte also teaches the ‘cello at her former school: The King’s School Peterborough. Charlotte adores the cello because of its rich sonority and believes sound and tonal quality is everything when it comes to playing a string instrument. She has been enjoying playing the beautiful cellos at Stamford Strings and working with Libby to bring them up to and keep them at their peak playing condition.
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nigel melfi
Tool maker, violin maker and workshop consultant
After a period away from the business to concentrate on making beautiful hand planes, Nigel is back, bringing a wealth of experience and talent to services, set ups, making and tool management. Formerly a technician and teacher at the Newark School of Violin Making, Nigel is an invaluable part of the team.
Nigel has exhibited at the Cremona Mondo Musica Exhibition, gaining a highly recommended award. He has made numerous violins and violas since graduating in 2008, and is an absolute wizard at making tools as well, and has made several amazing jigs for our workshop.
When not at the bench, Nigel is out walking his spaniels or flying his beloved birds.
Nigel has exhibited at the Cremona Mondo Musica Exhibition, gaining a highly recommended award. He has made numerous violins and violas since graduating in 2008, and is an absolute wizard at making tools as well, and has made several amazing jigs for our workshop.
When not at the bench, Nigel is out walking his spaniels or flying his beloved birds.
Tom Palmer
Valuations Consultant
Thomas Frederic Palmer began his career with musical instruments of the violin family at Bonhams in 2010, studying and cataloguing a large volume of instruments across the different schools of violin making. He moved to Brompton's in 2014 where enthusiasm for the subject increased with constant valuation work, mainly focused in the UK and Europer. Since 2018 he has run his own business, forming a Limited Company, Maple Violins, in 2020. Since the pandemic he has enjoyed a more in-depth study of the history of the violin with a particular focus on instruments made circa 1780 - 1850. This period witnessed seismic changes in Europe following the French Revolution, including the celebrity of great solo musician such as Viotti and Paganini. Violin makers and dealers responded with technical advances and revived an appreciation for the work of Stradivari and later Guarneri Del Gesu.
Tom has been working as a consultant for Stamford Strings since he and Libby met a few years ago in Stamford. Tom has family links with Stamford, and last year gave a talk at Brownes Hospital which was a sell-out event.
Tom has been working as a consultant for Stamford Strings since he and Libby met a few years ago in Stamford. Tom has family links with Stamford, and last year gave a talk at Brownes Hospital which was a sell-out event.
louise barnes
bookkeeper
Behind every successful business is a talented bookkeeper. Louise is a qualified accountant with an impressive career behind her. These days she prefers to help small businesses and does all our bookkeeping and invoice management to keep things running smoothly.
Louise is also a talented upholsterer and her daughter plays the violin and viola.
Louise is also a talented upholsterer and her daughter plays the violin and viola.
Emily Potts
Business advisor and coach
Emily is a leadership coach, business mentor and culture development consultant for ambitious SME founders.
She began her career in the corporate sector in London before taking her own online retail business from foundation to successful sale. She subsequently trained as an executive coach and mentor so that she could help other business owners create more growth, with less stress in a business they love.
As a fellow musician, Emily understands the importance that quality and sound plays in every aspect of the Stamford Strings business.
Emily has been advising Libby since the start of the business, and her advice has always proved to be invaluable.
She began her career in the corporate sector in London before taking her own online retail business from foundation to successful sale. She subsequently trained as an executive coach and mentor so that she could help other business owners create more growth, with less stress in a business they love.
As a fellow musician, Emily understands the importance that quality and sound plays in every aspect of the Stamford Strings business.
Emily has been advising Libby since the start of the business, and her advice has always proved to be invaluable.