A beautiful viola made in the Brescian style by the violin making team of David Polstein and Christopher White.

David Polstein commenced his violin-making training in Portland, Maine under the guidance of violin maker, Jonathan Cooper, spending several years there performing repairs. He then moved to Boston to attend the violin-making program at the North Bennet Street School. After graduation, he worked for six years with the violin maker, Arthur Toman, in Newton, Massachusetts, where he devoted the majority of his time to repair and restoration work. During this time, Polstein had the opportunity to make a few instruments a year, including several cellos in collaboration with Toman.

Polstein eventually moved into his own studio in Newton, where he has been making instruments ever since. He has won numerous awards in the Violin Society of America’s International Competitions, including silver medals for tone in the 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2012 competitions. He is a member of the American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers and has served three terms as the Secretary of its Board of Governors. Currently, Polstein is also serving as an advisor to the violin program at the North Bennet Street School.

Christopher White’s fascination with string instruments began as a teenager when he began his study of the double bass, which he continued through his undergraduate program at Carnegie-Mellon University. His attention soon gravitated to the art of violin-making, fueled by a driving passion with the great makers of the past, especially the Italian masters.

White took his passion to the North Bennet St. School in Boston, Massachusetts, where he studied under violin-making teachers Ray Melanson, Arthur Toman and Marilyn Wallin. He then attended the Oberlin College violin restoration workshops under Vahakn Nigogosian and proceeded to train in the shops of Samuel Zygmuntowicz and William Monical before opening his own studio in Boston in 1991.

White has been a member of The American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers since 1994 and has served as Secretary of The Board of Governors. Since 2001, he has been a regular substitute teacher at The North Bennet St. School and currently serves on the advisory board of the violin-making program.

Maker: David Polstein and Christopher White

Provenance: Boston

Length of back: 16 1/4 inches (415mm)

Vibrating string length: 378mm (14.88 inches)

Year: 2014