On Saturday I met a ranking member of an elusive, secret society: the luthiers. In layman’s terms, that means Gary Garavaglia is a violin maker, but in the world of string instruments, he’s a master.

In a craft where every little detail counts, Malaysian luthier Tan Chin Seng keeps pushing forward with one violin at a time.

The violin is a challenging instrument. Rapid, independent motion of the digital joints in the left hand is desirable. This study was conceived after an 11-year-old patient volunteered that she had ...

MILAN — Acoustics aren’t all that count in the making of a violin. Aesthetics do, too. As a result, the craft of stringed instruments is thriving in Italy — a country known for its love of beauty and ...