THE PROJECT
There is a very clear idea behind the path I’ve decided to take. Maybe it’s more than an idea, maybe it’s actually a dream that my grandfather Antonio, my father and the entire family have been holding onto for a long time: go back to producing classic musical instruments, focus on an ancient art that is a synonym of Italian excellence, re-launch a brand that represents centuries of history for Italian lutherie and our family.
Basically, recreate the ancient “Laboratorio Monzino’ from a modern perspective. I would return to the things that made my grandfather’s workshop so successful: train various young, emerging luthiers under a master, providing them with an opportunity for professional growth and direct exposure to a market that is certainly not easy.
The production of string and plucked instruments would be supported by all the other related activities, such as the repair, restoration and fine tuning of the same and, finally, the sale of instruments and accessories, as occurred at my grandfather’s workshop.
But I also envisage it as a “living’ and “open’ workshop, where the art of making string instruments can be used as a means to get closer to beauty, to excellence, to the pleasure of creating “objects’ with your hands, “objects’ that are created to last. It would also be a meeting place, with dedicated areas for cultural and social exchange: a small auditorium dedicated to live performances, auditions and social areas, where to relax and share ideas.
I see the workshop as a space that is not purely artistic and commercial, but also educational and cultural, open to children and adults of all ages. A place with educational courses on classical music, but also workshops for various difficulty levels, where children and young people (accompanied by their parents or by their grandparents) can learn to use their hands to create something beautiful, rewarding them with the satisfaction of making a finished musical instrument.
A wonderful and fulfilling way to get closer to the world of music, discovering, almost as if by magic, “where sound is born’, in a place where you can switch off from modern-day technology, from the abstract and theoretical, and rediscover what you can create with your very own hands.
