Velery Parfenov’s love affair with violins and stringed instruments started out early. Back in 1963 he became a violinist for the Russian Voronezh Symphony Orchestra. It was also in that same year that he began making stringed instruments of his own. As a craftsman and a musician at the same time, he was able to accept jobs in repairing damaged instruments. He was able to create his first viola in 1971 when he was an intern at the prestigious Bolshoi Theatre back in Moscow. In 1983 he joined an international competition where one of his creations was given an International Diploma for having the having the best sound among he instruments that participated.
Starting in 1985 he has worked with the Moscow Philharmonic in both capacities as a violinmaker and restorer of old instruments. In 1989 he transferred to the Moscow Conservatory to also serve there as a restorer and as the leading violinmaker. It was at that same that time that he was given a rare honor and opportunity to work with the world’s biggest collection of valuable musical instruments, the Russian State Collection of Unique String Instruments. This priceless collection includes pieces from masters of musical instrument making from all over Europe including instruments from Italy, France, Holland, Austria, and there are even instruments made by the legendary Antonio Stardivarius.
Valery learned the art of violinmaking from of the great Russian Masters, Alexander Krilov who later transferred to Italy where Valery followed him and to learn from other master’s as well. Throughout the years Valery has made over a hundred instruments of proven quality. He is recognized all over the world for his work. He has a style in making an instrument whereby its acoustic quality is greatly enhanced without taking away the inherent characteristics of the instrument.
The great violinmaker came over the United States back in 1992. He now lives in St. louis. He is also the violinist for the St. Louis Philharmonic Orchestra. Most importantly he has set up shop in the city. He has opened the The First String Violin Shop. It is a place where you can buy the finest of stringed instruments and also where you can have your damaged violins repaired. The upper portion of the shop serves as a “violin academy”, where young students can learn the basics of violin playing.
You can buy all sorts of instruments from the shop. The common factor among all these instruments is the high level of quality that they all have. You can be sure that you will be getting value for your money when you buy an instrument from the The First String Violin Shop. Just visit their website and browse their catalogue of instruments and you will see that all are of the finest make and are of the highest quality. Although they are a little more expensive than the usual that would be ok, since really good instruments never come cheap. Visit the shop now and see the work of a real craftsman in the field of music.