2026 VMAAI Convention Presenters
Click on a presenter's picture to view their biography and presentation:
Christopher Germain
Erick Díaz
Jaime Gabriel González
Pablo Alfaro
Presentation:
TBA
Presentation:
Carving a Violin Scroll in a Day
Presentation:
Even Grain, Even Split
Presentation:
TBA
Zoran Stilin
Presentation:
Arts Trio
Makers Forum
TBD
Presentation: TBA
Kruno Kupresanin
Presentation:
Makers Forum
Harold Golden
Presentation:
Makers Forum
Christopher Germain
Presentation:
TBA
Christopher Germain makes award-winning violins, violas and cellos from his studio in Philadelphia, PA. Mr. Germain graduated from the Chicago School of Violin Making in 1985. From 1985 to 1991 he worked for the Chicago firms, Kenneth Warren & Son Ltd. and Bein and Fushi Inc., focusing on restorations of rare stringed instruments. In 1995, Mr. Germain was invited by legendary restorer Vahahn Nigogosian to be an instructor at the Oberlin Restoration Workshop. Mr. Germain became director of the VSA/Oberlin Violinmaker’s Workshop in 1997, which recently celebrated it’s 20th Anniversary.
Mr. Germain has served as the President of The American Federation of Violin and Bowmakers as well at The Violin Society of America and has also served on the Governing Boards of both organizations. In 2006, he organized The American Violin, a historical perspective on the history of violin making, which took place at The Library of Congress in Washington DC. He is co-author of The American Violin (2016 AFVBM). In addition, Mr. Germain is the author of numerous other articles, which have appeared in publications and scholarly journals, such as The Journal of The Violin Society of America, VSA Letters, The Strad magazine, Strings and others.
Mr. Germain is also a member of Entente Internationale Maitres Luthiers et Archetiers d’Art and has served as judge on numerous international violin making competitions, including The Violin Society of America International Competition, the International Triennale in Cremona, Italy, the China International Violinmaking Competition and others. He has lectured on violinmaking and demonstrated his craft at venues around the world.
Erick Díaz
Presentation:
Carving a Violin Scroll in a Day
Erick is a Mexican luthier graduated from the violin making school of Queretaro, Mexico in 2013.
He has received master classes from Isabelle Wilbaux, Viateur Roy, Horacio Piñeiro, Pablo Alfaro and Andreas Jacobi.
Erick won in 2021 gold medal in workmanship in the Souther Violin Association. In 2022 he obtained double gold medal in violin tone and workmanship in the Souther Violin Association Makers ́ Choice Award Competition and second place in viola tone from the same competition. In 2023 he was winner of gold medal in violin tone and gold medal in cello tone from the Violin Makers Association of Arizona International.
The same year he was invited as a jury of the Souther Violin Association in the 4th Biennial Violin Makers ́ Competition and Conference, along with Daniel Gillespie and Christopher Germain. In 2024 he won gold medal in violin tone and gold medal in cello workmanship in the Violin Makers Association of Arizona International.
He is a non-resident member of the Collectif Luthieri of Montreal.
Furthermore he has collaborated on restoration projects with the Wilder &Davis Workshop, currently master Díaz is the luthier of the Mexico National Conservatory of Music and teacher in violin making in the State of Mexico Conservatory of Music.
Jaime Gabriel González
Presentation:
Even Grain, Even Split
Luthier / Violin Maker & Restorer
Jaime Gabriel González's journey as a luthier is a testament to passion and a relentless pursuit of perfection. Graduating with honors from the Escuela de Laudería in Querétaro, Mexico, Jaime swiftly opened his own workshop in Guadalajara, where he began to truly hone his unique craft. A pivotal moment came in 2017 when he delved into an "Antique Varnish and Retouch" class with master luthier Pablo Alfaro. This experience sparked a new level of ambition, leading him to prestigious events across the United States, often sponsored by esteemed organizations like the Violin Society of America and Oberlin Restoration Workshops.
Witnessing the pinnacle of violin making firsthand ignited a profound desire in Jaime to push his own artistry. This drive ultimately led him to the United States, where he relocated in 2020, starting his U.S. journey by working at a rental shop in Houston. This hands-on experience in a busy environment provided a unique foundation before he joined the distinguished workshop at Carriage House Violins in 2022, immersing himself in instrument restoration.
Jaime's exceptional talent has been consistently recognized on the competition stage. In 2023, he swept the Violin Makers Association of Arizona International Competition, earning gold medals for both viola and violin workmanship and the coveted Bill Barnitz Award. His accolades also include a gold medal for violin workmanship at the 2019 Southern Violin Association Competition, an achievement that led to an invitation to judge the 2021 event. Adding to his impressive record, 2025 saw him awarded gold medals for both violin and viola workmanship, a Certificate for Tone for his violin, and a Silver Medal for viola tone. Notably, he also achieved Hors Concours at the 2025 Southern Violin Association (SVA) Competition, leading to an invitation to judge the prestigious 2027 biennial competition. Jaime also collaborated with Pablo Alfaro on a quartet entered into the 2022 Violin Society of America competition.
In March 2026, Jaime’s dedication to the craft and the professional community was further recognized as he was accepted as a member of the American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers. Committed to sharing his expertise with the wider luthier community, he also published a technical article for the "Trade Secrets" section of The Strad magazine in March 2026, contributing to the global dialogue on instrument making and restoration.
Pablo Alfaro
Presentation: TBA
Originally from Mexico City, Pablo Alfaro graduated from the Taller de Laudería at the Universidad Veracruzana in Xalapa, in addition he attended the advanced 5 year program of specialization with Gary Vessel in Utah, USA. Pablo Alfaro has received 54 awards in violinmaking competitions worldwide, including 18 First Places and 18 Second Places. In 2009 Pablo Alfaro was the Grand Champion Contest Winner of the Bob Wallace Memorial Award. In 2022 won the South East Prestige Award for Instrument Repair Specialist of the Year in Georgia.
Mr. Alfaro is a member of the AFVBM, past member of the Board of Governors as well as conference speaker. As a member of VSA (Violin Society of America) Pablo attends the Oberlin workshops regularly and has been a speaker for VSA Conventions. Pablo is also a member of VMAAI (Violin Makers Association of Arizona International), serving on the Board of Directors and past President. In addition Pablo Alfaro has been a tone, varnish and workmanship judge as well as a conference speaker for VMAAI. Mr. Alfaro is also a member of SVA (Southern Violin Association) serving on the Board of Directors and current President, he also has been a conference speaker for SVA and Tone Judge.Pablo received tutelage from great masters as Rene Morel, Hans Nebel, and Jerry Pasewicz and Chris Germain among others.Pablo Alfaro has been a faculty member for the Universidad Autonoma de Puebla's International Music Festival, the Florida International University's "Animato" Music Camp, the "Orchestral Studies for Musical Studies" at Reinhardt College in Georgia, Nessonvaux Music Festival in Belgium and EMBA Veracruz, Mexico.
Pablo Alfaro was appointed as principal technician and foreman for five consecutive years at Summerhays Music Center in Utah. Also Pablo joined the staff of Williams Gengakki Violins in Atlanta, GA as a restorer for one year. Currently Mr. Alfaro works in his own shop "Alfaro Violins, LLC" in Decatur, GA, restoring fine old instruments, as well as creating new violins, violas and cellos.
Pablo Alfaro is as well a fine violinist, freelancing and playing professionally since 1982.
Zoran Stilin
Presentation:
Arts Trio
Zoran Stilin, cellist and violin maker, is a native of Zagreb, Croatia. After completing his studies at the Music Academy of Zagreb under Valter Despalj, he continued his education in Switzerland with Michael Flaksman, and later at the University of Arizona with Gordon Epperson and Peter Rejto. Mr. Stilin is a prizewinner of the former Yugoslavia National Cello Competition. He has performed as a soloist with the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra "Gaudeamus," Baden-Baden Symphony Orchestra, Zagreb Academy Symphony Orchestra, Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra, and the University of Arizona Symphony Orchestra. He has been a member of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra since 1989 and is an active solo and chamber musician.
Mr. Stilin studied violin making and restoration with Karl Roy of Mittenwald, Germany, one of the world’s leading authorities in the field.
Since 1992, he has owned and operated a retail and repair/restoration violin shop in Tucson, Arizona. Over the years, he has received numerous awards for his violins, violas, and cellos. In both 2006 and 2016, Mr. Stilin was honored with the Bob Wallace Grand Champion Memorial Award in violin making by the Violin Makers Association of Arizona International. In 2022, he was awarded a Certificate of Merit for Tone for his cello at the Violin Society of America's 24th International Competition in California.
Zoran feels extremely fortunate to be able to combine his greatest passions: cello performance and instrument making.
www.zoransviolinshop.com
Biography incoming
Kruno Kupresanin
Presentation:
Makers Forum
Kruno Kupresanin is a native of Zagreb, Croatia now residing in Amarillo, Texas. As a luthier, he has worked in several violin shops in the United States, including String Shop of Arizona and George Robinson Violins. He has operated his own shop in Amarillo since 2008.
Kruno was the Grand Prize winner for his violin in the Bob Wallace Competition for Violin Makers Association of Arizona International (VMAAI) in 2011. Kruno also won the Gold Medal award for tone with his viola at VMAAI in 2014. Most recently in 2021, Kruno’s cello was awarded the Gold Medal for Tone and the Gold Medal for Workmanship at VMAAI. In 2023, Kruno won the Gold Medal for Violin Tone in the Southern Violin Association Competition in North Carolina.
Kruno earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance from Arizona State University and a Master’s Degree in Music Performance from Texas Tech University. He was the
winner of the Texas Tech Concerto Competition in 2007 on the double bass. Kruno remains active as a musician, performing with the Amarillo Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Music Amarillo. He has also performed with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Lubbock Symphony Orchestra, Midland-Odessa Symphony Orchestra, and
the Rijeka Opera. Kruno’s experience as a professional musician helps him better understand what a musician expects from their instrument.
Harold Golden
Presentation:
Makers Forum
Harold Golden began his career in music as a professional guitarist and string bassist but his keen interest in the construction and sound of the violin put him on the path he has been following for 30 years. After having apprenticed in a prominent violin shop in Philadelphia for 15 years, Mr. Golden opened his own shop and has been making violins and violas since 1990. Mr. Golden makes copies of Strads, Guarneris, Amatis and Baldontonis and he makes his own design based on the Golden Number of the Renaissance. He uses specially chosen wood from British Columbia, Vermont, New York State and Europe and his varnish is from pine resin and sandarac which is carefully and painstakingly collected at the prime time of year.
Mr. Golden’s essential goal is to create a well balanced, clear bell like sound. His instruments are played by professional and amateur players in the Philadelphia area and abroad. He has studied violin making with expert craftsmen Sofian Zapf, originally of Bayreuth, Germany, Carleen Hutchins, founder of the Catgut Acoustical Society, and Ed Campbell, founder of Chimneys Violin Shop. Also, he has attended Varnishing and Acoustics master classes with Geary Baese.
Mr. Golden is a member of the Violin Society of America, the Violin Makers Association of Arizona International and the British Violin Makers Association. Mr. Golden has won Certificates of Proficiency from the Violin Makers Association of Arizona International.
