Viola by Alessandro Ciciliati, 2009, Ferrara

Alessandro Ciciliati was born in Ferrara, Italy in 1959.
His passion for art led him to obtain a diploma from Ferrara’s Academy of Art, a diploma in double bass performance from the Academy of Music in Ferrara and a third diploma in conducting from the Mozart Musical Academy in Bologna. In 1977, he had the privilege to meet the famous violin-maker Ivano Coratti with whom he studied the various techniques of classical violin-making. Between the 1984 and 1994 he participated in the national and international violin-making competitions and receiving considerable praise from all involved. In 1994 he received an Honorary Mention at the “ Triennale” of Cremona. In 1998 he began his career as orchestra conductor by accepting the position of President and Artistic Director of the OFE (Estense Philarmonic Orchestra) which although based in Ferrara, involved travelling to both Europe and Japan.

After three decades, Ferrara violin-making seemed to be a memory of the past, however the tradition came back to life through the work of Alessandro Ciciliati, whose professional aim has been the reconstruction of this age-old craft while at the same time keeping in mind the needs of contemporary musicians. Only Tone wood between 15 and 25 years of age is chosen, the extreme attention to style details and the strong personal acoustic characteristics, are all factors that contribute to make these instruments hugely sought after, not only by collectors but also by soloists and conductors. Thanks to the constant quality of his products, A. Ciciliati is enjoying huge success in America and Japan. He has now become one of the most prized violin-makers in the world.