“My mom took me to the theater when I was five, and I fell in love with the theater. In love with the theater and in love with music, and automatically with the lutherie.” Elena Bardella
The violin maker Elena Bardella was born in Cremona in 1966. She graduated as a Master violin maker at the International School of violin making in Cremona in 1984, under Giorgio Cè. From 1986 to 1988, she followed a lute-making course, and she graduated with teacher Walter Leoni at the Lombardy Region’s Professional Training Center.
At 13 years old she started violin making school because she felt it was exactly what she needed to do. At first, with worried parents about a 13-year-old girl wanting to go for the violin-making world, they took her to the Bissolotti family, to Maestro Bissolotti, who talked to her about what was the luthier and its own complications.
“In the end, he told me, I convinced you then not to do this school and I told him, Maestro see you in September. And I started it. And therefore, lutherie is my life.” she told us.
With more than 40 years working as a lutherie, she couldn’t imagine herself somewhere else. To Elena, violins are already part of her life.
It was essential for her to meet master Renato Scrollavezza, who in 1988 was part of the jury of the International Competition “Antonio Stradivari,” and thanks to that, she began to attend the workshop receiving valuable advice from the master.
it’s not just making instruments, this profession means so much more to her
The Classical Cremonese violin making tradition is her first inspiration. Aiming to create instruments with clean and soft lines. But above that, she loves, through her instruments, to transmit the care, passion, and dedication with which she makes them.
This all started during her school life when she had Giorgio Cè as a teacher, who besides being a master, was also a great master of Cremonese violin making, who was also responsible for passing her so much of his knowledge and passion about the violin makings.
“Me, while I work many times I hear his voice, I still hear his voice telling me, giving me advice, I feel him very present and I really care about him.
Unfortunately, he left us a few years ago. But he is always in our minds and always close to us. And always, he was a great teacher. He taught me an approach to work and dedication to work, the life, this is unique.”
Elena’s passion for work took her and her instruments places
In 2009 the “Sivis Quartet” performed in concert playing the Quartet in C major op.59 n.3 “Rasumovsky” by Ludwig van Beethoven, with her instruments.
In 2010 she was invited by the International Violin making School ”A.Stradivari” of Cremona to supervise the qualification exams as an external member.
In 2010 she completed the creation of a string quintet. These instruments belong to Yokohama musicians. The “Bardella Quintet.”
In 2014 she was invited to participate in the jury of the VIII° edition of the National Anlai Competition in Cremona, chaired by the Maestro Antonio Capela.
In 2015 she collaborated to organize the exhibition held in the “Museum of Musical Instruments” in Saint Petersburg, Russia, where she exhibited her instruments. Her instruments are appreciated by the teachers and the musicians of the Conservatory operating in Saint Petersburg.
Elena Bardella also holds awards:
1982, Gold medal “the youngest participant” at the National Competition City of Bagnacavallo, Italy
1996, Silver medal for violin at the First Professional Competition City of Bagnacavallo, Italy
In the spirit of violin making to pass on the luthier passion
She has worked as a Master Tutor for students training at the Civic School of Milan and the Cologni Foundation for the Arts and Crafts of Milan. She is also collaborating, actively, on several projects conducted with the Scientific Laboratories of the Cremona Violin Museum, related by various scientific articles and the School of Violin making of Noceto, in Parma with the Teachers Scrollavezza and Zanrè.
Since 2018 she is a member of the Cultural District of violin making. Since 2021 she collaborates as a Maestro-expert with the International School of Violin making “A. Stradivari” in Cremona. She works in her Atelier in Cremona in Via 11 Febbraio,50.
“I still remember when I went to a concert with my parents when I was 7. Also, they had remarkable manual skills and creativity, this led me to the same devotion and I had no doubts: I wanted to make stringed instruments.” Elena Bardella
Did you enjoy getting to know more about Elena? Keep scrolling to discover about her work.
VIOLIN BY ELENA BARDELLA, CREMONA, 2019
STRADIVARI MODEL
Elena’s long experience as a violin maker allows expressiveness in her characteristic work. The well-chosen materials are covered by red-orange textured oil varnish. The sides and neck follow the same figure as the back. We offer you a violin to follow you in your successful journey as a musician.
€23,000
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