Violin Makers Association of

Arizona International

dedicated to the art of building string instruments

The Violin Makers Association of Arizona International (VMAAI) is a non-profit, educational organization founded, in 1958, to encourage and develop the art of violin making. The oldest violin making association in the United States, VMAAI now boasts members from all 50 states and many foreign countries. Violin makers, both accomplished and novice, and others interested in the art, are encouraged to join and participate in the various activities of the group.  The group is governed by a Board elected by the members at the annual Convention and Competition.

The VMAAI Annual Convention

The VMAAI holds an annual Convention and Competition in Tucson, Arizona during October of each year.  Daily presentations cover various topics with an emphasis on providing information useful to violin makers of skill levels ranging from beginner to accomplished.

Competition tone judging is done by professional string players.  Workmanship judging is done by a professional violin maker with extensive experience both violin making and judging international competitions.

Some highlights on the 2012 CONVENTION page include the award winners, photographs of  participants  and, links to videos of the convention.

See the 2013 Convention page for additional details of the 2013 convention to be held October 8-11 at the Four Points Sheraton Hotel.

The VMAAI Journal

The VMAAI Journal is a bimonthly publication dedicated to keeping members informed about Association activities and providing informative, how-to-do-it articles on various aspects of violin making. Members are encouraged to submit material concerning unusual techniques that might be helpful to others as well as articles on the history of violin making and violin makers.

For information about this site, contact:

Don Lenker, Webmaster