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.
