Russia Opens Its First Violin-Making School

Russia’s first violin-making school has officially opened in Yaroslavl, based at the city’s Urban Planning College. The news was announced by the region’s governor, Mikhail Evraev, on his Telegram channel.

The inaugural class consists of 12 students aged 12 to 18. They will study the history of violin-making, woodworking, and carpentry skills, with weekly lessons to develop their craftsmanship in handling wood.

The school’s instructor, Mikhail Larin, has trained in Cremona, Italy—the birthplace of the violin—where he studied under master luthier Andreas Schütz, who comes from a long lineage of violin makers.

The idea for the violin-making school emerged in 2023 during the 10th International Kogan Festival in the Yaroslavl region. It was proposed by the festival’s artistic director, Elena Tereshkova, and received support from her mother, Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space, as well as from regional authorities.

The project was developed throughout 2024, during which time the school’s facilities were renovated and equipped with the necessary tools and materials to provide students with a well-prepared learning environment.