Gareth Mewes: Brisbane performer and fiddle teacher
“Can you recommend a good fiddle teacher in Brisbane?”
And of course I can. A steady stream of folk and alternative-genre musicians pass through my workshop door, so I get to see who’s active, who’s performing, and who’s teaching.
But recommending a fiddle teacher isn’t just about naming someone good — it’s about matching the needs of the player with the right teacher.
Fiddle vs Classical Violin
Fiddle playing is different from classical violin. It’s more rhythmic. More groove-based. There’s a bump-and-grind to it that you won’t hear in the classical repertoire.
For someone completely new to the fiddle — err… violin — I’m often inclined to suggest starting with a solid violin teacher first. Master the basics of posture, bow hold, intonation, and tone before diving into stylistic nuance. Good foundations make everything easier later.
For the classical violinist who’s a fiddle tyro, the task is different. It’s about migrating into a tradition that doesn’t seek polished perfection in the same way, and instead engages deeply with an aural tradition — learning by ear, absorbing groove, and playing socially.
Sometimes in this case, a private teacher isn’t the only place to start.
Joining a Celtic jam group can be more transformative. Brisbane has several, and playing in a circle teaches things no lesson ever will. Pair that with a good tune book and you’re well on your way.
If you’re time-poor or don’t get out much, The Fiddle Book by Chris Haigh is a great pedagogical introduction. More about is books and what i think of them here: https://fiddlerdan.com/chris-haigh-violin/
Fiddle Teachers in Brisbane
Here are a few fiddle teachers in the Brisbane region who are also regular performers:
Professional violin repairs and violins for Brisbane’s Bayside and Redlands. Convenient Mansfield workshop for students, teachers, and musicians.
If you’re looking for violin repairs in Brisbane’s Bayside, you’ve probably noticed there aren’t many local options. I get a steady stream of visitors from the Bayside and Redlands area looking for violins, bows, and professional string instrument repairs. Since the closure of Binary Music in Cleveland, my workshop has become the closest music store for string musicians, as a dedicated violin and string repair services for the region, from Victoria point to Wynnum.
Located in Mansfield, Brisbane, I’m an easy drive via the Gateway Motorway, Old Cleveland Road, or Mount Cotton Road — making me a convenient alternative to heading into the city for quality violin repairs and advice.
Supporting the Redlands String Community
Redlands Sinfonia
The Redlands area, once known mostly for farms and open land, is now a growing mix of suburbs and small acreage — and it’s home to a vibrant and expanding music community. The Redlands Sinfonia Orchestra is already making waves, and both established and string studios like Suzi G’s SOMAP, are helping to support school string programs across the Bayside.
I also carry out a large amount of school violin and instrument repair work, helping keep student instruments in good playing condition throughout the year.
Your Local Suburban Violin Workshop
If you’re searching for a violin shop near the Redlands or Brisbane Bayside and don’t feel like crossing the river or battling city traffic, my suburban violin workshop is well worth the trip. I offer:
In a way, there’s a nice sense of irony in it all — as a boy, I used to travel out to Victoria Point myself to see Frank Williams for all my stringed instrument needs. Now I get to return the favour by helping the next generation of Bayside and Redlands musicians.
I was delighted to setup a wholesale account with “First Strings” string instruments from down at Nerang. These instruments not only sund and look great, but outperform most of the other instruments on the market at entry level and advanced alike. I particularly like the Sonore for entry level, Sempre for intermediate and luthier series for advanced.
These instruments have leapfrogged out of the well known Dalseno String Studio in Nerang and has been a growing buzz with strings teachers around Brisbane.
Run by David and Jenny Dalseno, First Strings has a strong players eye err… ear for instrument selection. Here’s a quick review of their “Sonore” violin at a great price point (around $450) for the emerging virtuoso to get started on.
First Strings Brisbane…the unboxing
First Strings supply a great range of instruments from beginner, intermediate and advanced ranges of instruments for violin, viola and cello. Best news for me they are and easy run on the highway too.
So try them at my place and take one home today. You could also make the run down to Nerang or buy them on line – we canstill be friends…jusyt tell them iddler Dan sent you 😉
I’m looking forward to keeping a few more First Strings in my Brisbane workshop…tell me what you want to see! UPDATE: I just set up some of their advanced Luthier range instruments, these perform comparably with instruments twice their price on the market today …wow!
Over the years I’ve gotten to know many violin teachers in my area—usually through their students at first. There’s a constant cycling of new graduates entering the teaching world. For some it’s a side hustle before stepping into performing work or permenant school roles; for others, the home-studio life is exactly what they want, and they stick with it.
Our conversations usually revolve around pay rates, referring students to each other ( I do on their students’ instruments) and the violin world in general. Coming from a startup background, I’ve seen the mindset shifts teachers need to make, and usually determines their success.
For anyone wanting to become a violin teacher, there are three essential ingredients doing something you are good at, doing something you love and having people willing to pay you to do it!
Being a player (something you love doing)
Being a teacher (a skill you can learn and develop and be good at)
Running a business (something people will pay money for)
The sweet spot is having all three in reasonably equal measure. In my experience, it’s the third one that’s often overlooked, its the last thing a prospective teacher things about – but is likely the first thing they need to consider before leaping down the rabbit hole of becoming a violin teacher. So let’s unpack it a bit.
1. Being a Player — Something you like doing Honing Your Craft
Most violin teachers have a music degree and some performance experience. This technical foundation matters. But being a “gifted soloist” is far less important than music schools sometimes make it seem.
Because classical training often focuses on competition—first chair, concert solo opportunities, auditions—it can unintentionally create imposter syndrome. That baggage can creep into a new teacher’s confidence.
In martial arts, you can grade students up to one level below your own. Teaching violin works much the same way. Whatever level you’ve reached, you can confidently teach students up to around that level—and do it authentically. Yes, you are good enough.
2. Being a Teacher — Something you are good at Developing Pedagogy
Teaching is not playing.
Teaching is its own craft. If you’ve studied education, you’ll know exactly what I mean. Some star athletes make terrible coaches, and the same can be true for virtuoso soloists.
Investing in your teaching skills will make you a far better instructor—understanding students and their place on the journey to mastery informs pedagogy. Developing an empathy (especially for young beginners), and learning how different students think is important as their guide.
You’ll also need to build your teaching library: pieces, methods, arrangements, copyright awareness, and decisions around exams, ensembles, and end-of-year concerts.
3. Running a Business — Something People Will Pay For
Here’s the mindset shift: when you teach privately, you’re not just an artist—you’re running a small startup so you need to dip into that thinking.
Classical training doesn’t prepare you for this. You’ve spent years interpreting notes written by composers who died 300 years ago; suddenly you’re expected to market yourself, put a dollar value on your time, and hustle for students.
A key question to ask yourself early is: ” Do I (or will I) have a viable business?“
Grab a pen and do o a quick back-of-the-envelope calculation: How many students can you realistically teach per day? At what rate? Multiply this by around 40 teaching weeks per year, once you remove school holidays where many students vanish.
Still keen?
If you have the something you like doing, something your are good at and something people will pay you money sorted out you have the ingredients of a successful business. Customer acquisition (finding students) and profitability are probably the business pillars that will matter the most. They’re the biggest factors teachers either succeed, go broke or burn out.
3. Customer Acquisition — Finding (and Keeping) Students
No students – no business. Where will your students come from? and where will you teach them?
Options include:
Home studio: Great flexibility, but how do potential students even know you exist?
Networking: Violin is a passion based business and its here the WOM (word of mouth is really important) Local schools, music shops, parents… most will happily refer students your way. Social media is a great way to work with established channels too. Work these channels don’t be afraid to hustle a little.
Getting Online: List yourself on-line is more that an entry on someones else’s website. “musicteacher dot com” type sites work but can be slow, even with paid listings . A dedicated website, with a Google Business Maps listing works better (ask me if you’re unsure) and beef it up with an adds campaign.
Schools or tuition businesses (as a contractor): Institutions find your students for you and bring them to you one after the other right through the day – all you have to do is teach. Of course they take a cut of the tuition fee and while can help build your reputation as a teach the students are their students not yours.
3.2 Profitability — Doing the Maths
Maths probably wasn’t your favourite thing at school, some say its boring, but its also incredibly useful
Pull out a piece of paper, take your number of daily lessons (current or aspirational target), multiply by days of the week you teach, multiply by your lesson rate, multiply by roughly 40 weeks of the year (4 school terms worth). That gives your annual revenue.
Notice I didn’t say salary. From that you’ll subtract:
teaching materials/ copy right fees
room costs / website advertising fees
tax
super
possibly GST
AS a catch all divide your annual revenue by 2 to estimate your real take-home. So make sure it’s viable.
Here’s 6 students of an afternoon, 5 days a week for $40 (30min lesson) for 40 weeks of the year divided by 2 = $24, 000…does that work for you?
A further thought experiment : Evaluate now the opportunity cost, that is opportunities you are giving up to teach violin, imagine instead you are stocking shelves at ‘woollies’, far less job satisfaction but you might make more?
Teaching Rates and Valuing Your Time
New teachers often experience imposter syndrome and start at something as low as $20 per half hour. They fill their timetable instantly—and then get stuck on those rates, overworked and underpaid.
Value your time and the opportunity you are offering to families.
Check recommended rates from bodies such as QMTA and use them as a guide (up-to ~$90/hr in 2025) . Remember that teaching includes:
Your prep time
Communication with parents
Bookkeeping, advertising etc..
Cleaning and maintaining your teaching space
so charge accordingly
Term-Based Billing & Make-Up Policies
Highly recommended. Most after-school activities use term-based billing—it protects your income and sets clear expectations around your time and expertise. You have made a commitment to the time for the student for a term as well, help them prioritise the time as well by having it prepaid. Many term based providers have a make up lesson contingency (say one per term) for illness etc..
Payment Methods
Cash seems convenient until you deal with counting, banking, and having change available. Card readers (eg Square, etc.) offer invoicing and instant payment—less “I’ll bring it next time.” adn chasing up payments.
Tax, Super & Regulations
Declare your income. The ATO is very good at what it does and is increasingly focused on the gray economy. Set aside tax, pay your super (you’ll be glad you did one day)
Home businesses are recognised by councils, many of which offer support programs. They also have rules about:
how many visitors you can have at your property
noise limits
signage
running ensemble groups from home
Townhouses and units often have their own by-laws too. Do your homework—one complaint can shut you down.
Go make music!
PS Comments, suggestions for inclusions welcome
Bio: Prior to picking up the tuning fork again, Fiddler Dan worked extensively as a tertiary educator, in the startup community as advisor/coach and taught in MBA programs.
Where can I sell my violin? is a question I am often asked. So you have a violin sitting in your closet that you no longer use, and you’re thinking about selling it. Maybe you’ve upgraded to a better instrument, or perhaps life has taken you in a different direction. Whatever the reason, selling a violin can feel overwhelming if you don’t know where to start. Below are some steps and things to think about to get a fair price for it and fiind a buyer. Or watch the video
1. DETERMINING YOUR VIOLIN’S WORTH
The first question everyone asks is: “What’s my violin actually worth?” The answer depends largely on what type of instrument you have.
For Student Instruments: If you bought your violin as a beginner or for a student, it’s likely a factory-made instrument. These are wonderful for learning, but they typically have modest resale values. The best place to start is by checking the label inside your violin through the f-holes. Look for the brand or maker’s name and any model information.
Once you’ve found the label, do some detective work. Google the maker’s name and model number along with terms like “violin price” or “violin value.” Check current listings on platforms like eBay, Reverb, or Facebook Marketplace to see what similar instruments are selling for – not just what people are asking, but what they’re actually sold for. This gives you a realistic baseline for your instrument’s market value. A note of caution if its sold by a supermarket chain its not really a violin but a VSO
For Older Instruments: If you have an older violin – perhaps one that’s been in your family for generations or one you acquired from an estate – things get more complex. Age alone doesn’t guarantee value, but older instruments sometimes have characteristics that make them more desirable. Labels in older violins can be deceiving, as many factory instruments copied the labels of famous makers. If you suspect your violin might be valuable, it’s worth getting a professional appraisal from a luthier or violin dealer before you sell.
I have done a video earlier on determining the value of you violin so have a look at the link up above
2. UNDERSTANDING RESALE VALUE
Here’s the reality check that many sellers need: your violin isn’t worth what you paid for it, especially if it was purchased new.
The general rule of thumb is that once a violin walks out of the shop, it’s immediately worth about two-thirds of what you paid. Think of it like buying a new car – there’s instant depreciation.
But that’s assuming your violin is in excellent condition. Be honest about its current state:
Are there scratches, chips, or cracks in the varnish?
Are the strings old, worn, or false (meaning they produce a fuzzy or unclear tone)?
Are the pegs sticky or slipping, making it difficult to tune?
Is the bridge warping, leaning, or in the wrong position?
What’s the condition of the bow? Is the hair fresh, or is it worn and discolored?
What about the case? Is it sturdy and protective, or scruffy and falling apart?
Each of these issues reduces your asking price. Buyers will factor in the cost and hassle of making these repairs or replacements when they make you an offer. See my article How much is my violin worth?
Selling to a Shop or Reseller: If you’re considering selling to a violin shop or a reseller, you need to understand the economics from their perspective. Wholesale pricing for instruments typically runs between 50% to 67% of retail value. That means if your violin would sell in a shop for $1,000, the shop would pay wholesale somewhere between $500 and $670 for it and do some work on it as well. So if they want to buy secondhand the offer is substantially lower again.
Why such a big difference? Shops have real costs:
They/we need to refit components – new strings, bridge adjustments, soundpost setting, peg work to maintain the shops quality and brand reputation
They provide warranties and guarantees to their customers and pay taxes like GST/VAT
They have holding costs – rent, utilities, insurance while your violin sits in inventory
They’re taking the risk that your instrument is in the condition it appears to be , will sell and also can only sell it for a secondhand price
Understanding these economics helps you set realistic expectations and decide whether selling privately or to a shop makes more sense for your situation.
3. HOW TO SELL PRIVATELY
If you’ve decided to sell privately to get a better return, here’s how to maximise your chances of success:
Leverage Your Networks: Start close to home. If your violin came from a school music program, check if the school has a Facebook group or parent community page where you can list it. Many families are looking for affordable instruments for their children, and you’re reaching people who already understand the value of what you’re offering and buying from someone in their tribe also has a higher trust factor.
Use Local Community Platforms: Post your violin on local selling platforms like Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree (if you’re in Australia or the UK), Craigslist, or Nextdoor. These platforms connect you with buyers in your area who can see and try the instrument before purchasing. Local sales also eliminate shipping costs, which can be significant for a delicate instrument like a violin.
Build Trust as a Seller: Your reputation matters enormously when selling a musical instrument. Here are ways to establish trust with potential buyers:
Can you play the violin? Even a simple tune demonstrates that the instrument works and sounds good. Consider recording a short video of you (or someone) playing it.
Do you have receipts or documentation from the original purchase? This proves provenance and gives buyers confidence about what they’re getting.
Be transparent about the instrument’s condition – both its strengths and its flaws. Honesty builds trust and prevents disappointed buyers or returns (you don’t have to offer a return of course, but it builds trust).
A fresh setup with new strings, proper bridge adjustment, and well-fitted pegs makes your violin play beautifully during trials
A written valuation or even a recent receipt from a professional gives buyers confidence in your asking price
You can document the instrument’s condition, which protects both you and the buyer
Buyers feel more at ease purchasing an instrument that’s been recently checked by a professional
The cost of a basic setup (usually $80-$150) can often be more than recouped in a quicker sale and a higher selling price.
CONCLUSION
Selling your violin doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does require realistic expectations and honest presentation. Whether you sell privately for a better return or to a shop for convenience, understanding your instrument’s true value and condition is the key to a successful sale.
Happy selling, and may your violin find a new home where it will be loved and played!
As Brisbanes population has continued to grow , so have the numbers of its bowed string players and ecosystem as well, we continue to have a short fall of luthiers (see becoming a luthier). I suspect this is a combination of various barriers to entry, attractiveness and opportunity.
1. Finding a path to gain skills
Traditionally luthier-ing has been something of a closed trade (much like electricians) where you have to be born into i, taught father to son (mother to son, mother to daughter etc) . An unkind interpretation is a luthier may not want to give away their trade secrets to a future competitor. I suspect though the truth is more mundane than that – it takes a while to gain the necessary skills to be useful, and not many people want to sit around in a workshop acquiring skills with little to no financial return on their time for extended periods of time.
2. Orientation
Next up is the orientation to become a luthier, it’s mostly an intersect of someone that likes music and has the mechanical affinity to work with wood. Apparently not a common intersection, let alone time to gain reasonable competence in both areas.
3. Attractiveness
In todays society, it’s not particularly high status, nor particularly financially rewarding. Although the intrinsic satisfaction is often high, and it beats driving a cash register hands down 😉 Further with many instruments being made in China, competing with that cost of labour to make and sell instruments is very difficult for all but the most skilled…who have spent years invested in developing and honing their skills. more accessible is Luthier setup and repair work, which is more of a grind with less attractiveness perhaps.
4. Having a workshop
Luthiers need a workshop, initially one bench can get you going but before long you need more. To be cost effective and efficient specialty tools and workshop power tools (bandsaw, drill press, sanding stations, dust extraction) help with operational efficiency. While you will find these embedded in the larger music and specialty string stores, setting this up yourself requires space and financial resources. Almost certainly you need to be a home owner so you don’t need to move. (Shout out to Ilya though whose built his workshop into a truck..very cool)
5. Instruments to work on (customer acquisition).
If you find work in a music shop this isn’t such an issue there are customers on tap. Stringers (string players) can tend to be a parochial bunch and hyper competitive, and it washes into many areas of the strings community. Building a reputation as a luthier takes time, where it’s not just the customer to be won over (even when they won’t balk to spend hundreds on sports shoes), but also critical stakeholders like teachers who control what brands are acceptable and whom to see. Adding then the orientation and ability to be able to promote ones self (as well as the mechanical and musical skills) is a further barrier entry.
Opportunities for entry
Luthier setup and repair work though is chiefly where the new entrant opportunities lie, particularly at the student end of the market with there is a large volume of work and the path to competency is much shorter. From here skills can grow over time, whilst earning an income and usher in a deeper dive opportunity.
So where is this leaving Brisbane in 2025?
Speciality string and some music shops have a regular cycling through of luthiers, sometimes apprenticed to a head luthier thats been there a long time. Aside from our independent makers, currently in Brisbanes shops we have a mix of traditionally trained and others that have moved into the profession, after careers in working with wood. Here informal apprenticeship opportunities await on the path to becoming a violin luthier, after the grind of setting up student instruments is mastered.
From this point more than a few have dipped into a European apprenticeship/ higher learning institutions, sought out Australian makers to learn specific skills or toiled in their evenings.
The interweb here also has a role to play with online learning, through courses and there are plenty of how to youtube videos. Online learning though has its pitfalls and is no substitute for face to face learning (this is certainly what I found teaching in mixed modes as engineering academic), an youtube is certainly highly variable in content. Im certainly fortunate to have a teacher and a network of luthiers to draw on as i progress in my journey
Bow rehairing a case in point
Rehairing a bow is an example of a specialty luthier task which while a specialist can command up to $300 to rehair a bow , its out of reach of many string player budgets and a skill in growing demand as more experienced luthiers slip away to retirement. Given rehairing takes significant instruction and something like 100 rehairs to gain reasonable competence, it’s a significant barrier to entry for anyone that might like to learn it. Learning involves finding a teacher to learn from and then to do lots of rehairs before you are ready to take on a customers bow.
It’s a significant investment of time, around $10, 000 in lost wages is the opportunity cost I reckon . For my own part this is something I’ve invested the time in, though a teacher and working on discarded student bows that grow like weeds in my workshop in my spare time. These I was able to on sell to recoup some of the investment of my time too. With the kindness of many in the strings community to “give me a go” I’m well on the path to competence …but that just my story. Where will Brisbane’s next bow rehairer come from? And its somewhat desperate times with 2 of our big strings shops outsourcing their rehairing and our resident makers flat out with extended wait times just working on their own instruments..
For my own part I am grateful to my teacher David Brown, the invitation by Dietrich to spend time in his workshop under the supervision of David Clark, the Sydney Strings Centre for guidance and supply of materials needed along the way. Thankyou also to Australia’s wholesalers and the informal luthier community of Brisbane and beyond as well.
Occasionally, I’m asked about left-handed violins. Yes, you can get them—but no, I don’t recommend it unless you absolutely have to.
A left-handed violin is much more than simply tucking the instrument under the other chin and swapping the chinrest. The entire geometry of the violin is set up for right-handed playing. At a surface level, the string order needs to be reversed, the bridge reshaped with the lower side on the opposite end, and the slight fingerboard tilt adjusted as well. This also means the pegs in the pegbox must be rearranged. Strings are manufactured with lengths designed for the peg order G, D, A, E (from closest to furthest away from the fingerboard). For example, a D string usually won’t reach the A peg, so they must be swapped around. Since pegs are tapered, there’s a good chance some peg holes will need to be bushed and re-drilled to fit properly.
Left handed violin :A violin top showing bass bar which would have to be reversed
Inside the violin, under the G-string side of the bridge foot, is the bass bar—a fitted, carved piece of spruce about 15 cm long that supports the top. To convert to a left-handed setup, this would need to be removed and a new one fitted on the opposite side. In other words, converting a standard violin to left-handed requires a lot of work, which is why so few are made.
There are also practical reasons against it. The violin is an orchestral instrument, and in an orchestra, your violin faces the audience with bows moving in the same direction. A left-handed player moving their bow the opposite way simply doesn’t work—it’s a bit like asking a ballerina to perform the reverse choreography in Swan Lake just because they’re left-handed.
Then there’s the health and safety challenge (and where “One-Eyed Bob” got his nickname): seating left- and right-handed violinists side by side could mean someone loses an eye midway through a Brandenburg Concerto if you’re not careful.
image source unknown – everywhere on the interweb
Being somewhat ambidextrous myself, I actually think playing the violin the conventional way puts your best hand in charge of intonation—which can’t be a bad thing, even if bowing feels a bit awkward at first.
My advice: stick with it for six months. If you still want to switch (and you’re not aiming to play in a big symphony orchestra), then maybe a left-handed violin is an option. Just bear in mind it’s likely to be a special order wherever you go(yes I can source them), and your selection will be quite limited.
Good friend — and guitar luthier to the stars — Dwight of DRW Guitars, once said, “Come by my workshop, I’ve got something interesting to show you.” And boy, he wasn’t kidding. Sitting there was a guitar bowed like a cello, unfortunately with a cracked top. It turned out to be an early prototype of a GuitarViol made by TogaMan, who has since become a legendary maker of this instrument.
Argeggione instrument in my workshop for a neck repair
The instrument is strung like a low guitar but had a neck projection reminiscent of a cello, clearly influenced by arpeggione and other classical bowed instruments, which carried lower tension strings, and a reduced neck projection.
Togaman GuitarViol Series prototype
Inside , and inside the body were Baroque-style images and a dedication from the maker: “To God be the Glory.” Beautifully made, it was both striking to look at and modern in some design aspects — strung with Helicore cello strings.
Inside the GuitarViol
This early version had been gifted to Brian from a film director. Brian is a film score composer and performer extraordinaire (check out his filmography). Despite its beauty, the instrument bore the structural DNA of a guitar. It had a mostly flat top, though with a bass bar and soundpost beneath. Over time, the tension of six strings across a raised bridge caused the bass bar to crack and the top to deform badly.
The first repair — beefing up the bass bar and reinforcing the soundpost area with a patch — lasted about a year. It worked reasonably well, but the stresses were immense. Though the reinforcements held, the top plate began to splinter and separate. Conversations with TogaMan himself confirmed that this was a known challenge with the early models. After much trial and error, he had moved on to hybrid laminated tops made of balsa, spruce, and hemp.
Unfortunately, with his workshop located across the Pacific and his schedule packed, sending the instrument back for a replacement top wasn’t realistic. That’s when it landed back in my workshop. My task: to build a new top that honored the spirit of the original while standing the test of time — and, crucially, sounding good.
Creation of the archtop from spruce for a cello
The challenges were many. A high neck projection exerts tremendous static force through the bridge, but the top still needs to vibrate freely to produce tone. On top of that, the original bridge had dug deeply into the top. My first stop was research: arpeggiones and six-string cellos. I studied their top plate construction and thicknesses, then developed arching and plate templates strong enough to handle six steel-core strings. To spread the load, I widened the bridge feet for more surface contact and less chance of indenting.
Work began with a carving table. I quickly made an MDF prototype top to check proportions, visual aesthetics, and bridge placement. Should the edges echo the roll-off of an arpeggione? A guitar edge? Or perhaps the S-shaped curves of bowed strings? The design had to balance tone, structure, and Brian’s preferences. From there, I refined the arching templates and plate thickness profiles before carving, tuning, and finishing the new top.
The instrument eventually came together — admittedly taking a little longer than Brian had hoped. But I wanted to get it right. After finishing it, he took it away for a few months to let the new top settle, play it in and to get acquainted with its voice. At first, it didn’t speak loudly, but after some fine-tuning back in the workshop (and a colour change), it began to open up beautifully. Along the way we also explored bow choice, rosin, and pickup placement, all part of shaping its character – and a colour change.
I’m deeply grateful to Brian for trusting me with this project. It was equal parts challenge and joy. The sound samples are promising, and I’m looking forward to hearing this instrument in some upcoming A-list films.
Feedback from Brian
At first I was super apprehensive to go down the road of replacing the top, Dan was always transparent with me, giving me no guarantees of the final result.
The instrument holds incredible sentimental value and I was worried I’d end up with a trophy hanging on my studio wall rather than a powerful composition tool.
When I first took it home I was gutted, it was such a change and not for the better, I became obsessed in making sure it was still useful through my guitar FX board with a pickup.
After a couple of months of constantly playing it to help it settle in, something happened, It came to life acoustically. I think it just needed time for Dan’s craftsmanship to settle in.
It’s now back in full action and has made its way onto my current film score, The Beast In Me starring Russle Crow, couldn’t be happier!
Brian Cachia
A big thank you also to my teacher, David Brown and other luthier friends, for his guidance, and to the Sydney Strings Centre for consulting on/supplying the timber that made this build possible.
It’s been about five years since I hung out my workshop’s shingle—at the insistence of my teacher and after a few years of informality. Since then, I’ve really enjoyed connecting and reconnecting outside of my players circle with Brisbane’s string community of players and getting to know other luthiers. Despite the size of Brisbane and South East Queensland, we’re still a fairly close‑knit bunch with not much more than a single degree of connection—everyone knows someone who knows someone.
Luthiery has traditionally been a bit of a closed shop, though my entry was made much easier thanks to my teacher’s encouragement and the openness of the Queensland music scene, with a growing need. Along the way I’ve had the pleasure of meeting music store owners, suppliers, repairers, makers, teachers, performers and hundreds of students/parents. (See Becoming a violin luthier)
Coming from a previous career involved in the start‑up world (LinkedIn profile here) with cross disciplinary R&D commercialisation, one of my first big lessons was just how important ecosystems are for the success of any enterprise that exists within it – especially new entrants.
An Ecosystems View
A ecosystem being a self sustaining system of multual interdependance. Stringed instruments are no exception to the ecosystem model. Queensland’s decades‑long investment in school instrumental programs has built one of the largest string ecosystems in Australia and is something to be proud of. Decades long it has, and is, producing players who now perform across the country and world, supported by a thriving network of teachers, repairers, retailers, and makers. It’s no accident that many of the pedagogical resources in Australia come from Qld composers as well!
Whether you’re an orchestral player, a gigging musician inspiring others, a teacher (employed or freelance), retailer, a repairer, or a maker—your livelihood exists because this wider ecosystem exists. Each of us, from newcomers to veterans, plays a role in keeping it alive. A term from the start-up world that fits perfectly here is co‑opetition: the idea that open, dynamic collaboration between kind of competitors benefits everyone.
For today’s reluctant Enrico‑playing, snot‑nosed kid at the back of a group lesson might be tomorrow’s virtuoso, composer, or luthier with the right encouragement and opportunities. Back in the ’80s (yes, that’s a while ago now), Brisbane had one youth orchestra, today, we have several—run by councils, non‑profits, and universities and plenty of school orchestras pushing that standard as well. For myself thirty years later, many of the same names are still around: Holt’s instruments still cross my bench, and I occasionally see a Frank Williams bridge that needs replacing. Our town’s repairers and makers are also undergoing a generational shift.
Supporting and growing your ecosystem isn’t just good for the community—it’s good for you. In Qld’s retail land yesterday’s Holt’s is today’s Animato, and tomorrow’s First Strings.
Of course there is a lifecycle element to ahem “players” in the ecosystem. New entrants will be hungrier and thus likely have a greater chance of openness, well established members will be in consolidation stage and for the elder-states people in the community there is an opportunity to play greeter or gatekeeper. Think of specialty string stores, where many of tomorrow’s teachers and professional players have spent time working in sales showrooms, workshops before going on to fabulous careers !
A Few Ways to Help Your Ecosystem (and Yourself) Grow
1. Openness It’s easy to stay in an ivory tower—being the sole “expert” to your students or customers. However recommending others when they’re a better fit ( guiding a student to AMusA, complex restoration or location for lessons) builds goodwill and opens the door to reciprocal referrals. It also boosts your credibility.
2. Communicate and participate An ecosystem thrives on communication. Going beyond day‑to‑day interactions through professional development, taking an interest in other parts of the scene, or showing up to events outside your usual niche. Awareness works both ways: the more people know you exist, the more opportunities will come your way.
3. Refer up, down, and sideways Speak well of others—even your competitors. It’s tempting to build your own reputation by diminishing someone else’s, but that can backfire. Praising others shows openness and often increases your own credibility. It’s something that works really well between teachers on social media and is lovely to see.
4. Be a Welcomer rather than Gatekeeper
Anyone can sell a violin, teach violin or fix violins. Whilst there are qualifications there is little in the way of regulation in this regard, though expertise over time speaks for itself. It is here that our ecosystem has a role to play, your WOM (word of mouth) along with things like google reviews from customers/students have a really vital role to play. Your welcome, as a trusted or first point of contact into the Strings eco-system really matters. Your encouragement of others and who you recommend (or don’t), can carry a lot of weight and often has reciprocal benefits, use responsibly.
5. You are important
The first thing most visitors do when they pick up a violin in my workshop is apologise for their playing. I suspect its a holdover from the world of classical music where every seat in the orchestra is a competitive, ranked pecking order to first chair of a section, that drives insecurity and hyper-competativeness. Eco systems aren’t like that. Think of yourself as the first chair of your own section, your place in the ecosystem is special and doesn’t need to be compared to anyone else, we are all important and add value. Someone has to sell that secondhand Stentor, someone replaces the bridge on it and someone has to teach (and listen) to it being played through those first few years of learning! Of course we might all aspire to Strads and working with virtuosos though 😉
Anyways back to working on a violin gifted to me by my teacher. Its a ‘flat pack’ so the assembly might take some time.
I’m continually amazed that almost every other week I find out about another string group in Brisbane. Ranging from professional, semi-professional, keen amateur there truly is something for everyone if they are looking to play the classics (or something more modern) as a group.
Brisbane Orchestras : The famed QYO at work
Here is a curated list of orchestras in the Brisbane area, Logan Redlands and West I could uncover doing some searches. Each offers unique musical experiences and opportunities for both audiences and musicians.
If you are looking for someone to play at your event many of these groups are performance orientated and looking for performance opportunities.
NOTE: If you group is not listed here or informaytion needs correcting contact me
Brisbanes Professional & Youth Orchestras
Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO)
Overview: Queensland’s state orchestra, renowned for its diverse programming, including classical masterpieces, film scores, and educational outreach.
Overview: A prominent string ensemble based in Brisbane, established in 1987 by string educator Elizabeth Morgan AM. Became professional in 2005. Performs without a conductor, emphasizing collaboration.
