I want to thank the RAB trust for awarding me work experience with David Rattray at the Royal Academy of Music and at his own workshop in London.  The placement lasted 5 days, during which I made a a scroll for a da Salo viola model, the fluting being inspired by the work of the early Brescian style of Zanetto Micheli.

Moreover I got some knowledge I wasn’t expecting such as learning the high-standard bow rehairing method of Brian Tunnicliffe and as well some tips about bow making. Furthermore, Jonathan Woolston explained to me how to make a plaster cast of a scroll so as to use it as a guide when copying a particular instrument.

Being in such place as the Royal Academy gave me a taste of the high standard sound adjustments and set-ups demanded by musicians and executed by the people working at the workshop.

At David Rattray’s workshop I have learnt a lot about the different styles and working methods of the old masters and about violin making in general. At the end, David advised me to make an Amati model viola; this is a project that I will start soon.

Besides, I had the chance to examine one of the best collections of fine instruments; I spent some time looking at the instruments behind glass and at the ones in the workshop. I even had a few hours to look at two amazing Stradivari violins; the Kustendyke of 1699 and the Maurin of 1718. I studied the instruments carefully so as to keep those in my mind for the final test.