Christopher Sandvoss

Christopher Sandvoss is an internationally recognized violin maker, musician, and pedagogue. He has been a full time violin maker for the past 20 years. Prior to this, Mr. Sandvoss had a career playing and teaching the viola at The University of Calgary.

Mr. Sandvoss was the founding violist of the Land’s End Ensemble, the 13th St. Trio, and the UCalgary quartet. He has taught at the University of Calgary, at Mount Royal University Conservatory and conducts the Conservatory Sinfonia.

He attended the UNH Violin Craftsmanship Institute to study with world renowned pedagogue Karl Roy, who was director of the violin making school in Mittenwald, Germany.

Continuing education included: a year in the workshop of acclaimed luthier Raymond Schryer, a VSA Oberlin workshop with Rene Morel and David Burgess, and numerous VSA Oberlin Acoustics workshops led by Joseph Curtin, Fan Tao, George Stoppani, Colin Gough, and Sam Zygmuntowicz. At Oberlin, Mr. Sandvoss has been involved in leading violin acoustics studies that have shaken the common misperception that old is better.

Mr. Sandvoss’ instruments are heard in the hands of some of today’s finest musicians. He lectures on Violin Making and mentors students through his Sandvoss Lutherie Apprenticeship Program. In 2019 Mr. Sandvoss founded Canada’s first English based violin making school, the Canadian Violin Making Institute.