The National Music Museum is offering a one-of-a-kind opportunity this summer for luthiers to immerse themselves in the craft of viola making. From July 20-25, 2025, up to eleven participants will join instructor and coordinator Marilyn Wallin for an exclusive, hands-on workshop at the NMM in Vermillion, SD. This week-long event will focus on exploring the diverse and successful approaches to viola making, while participants work independently on their own instruments.
Held at the NMM’s Center for Preservation and Research, this immersive, collaborative experience, will offer lectures, hands-on instruction, and the chance to share insights with fellow luthiers. The program will discuss the evolution of viola design, focusing on how changes in form and function have met the needs of musicians throughout history.
In addition to individual work time, the workshop includes a dedicated study day where participants will examine some of the NMM’s most treasured instruments.
The workshop will be led by Marilyn J. Wallin, who is an accomplished violin luthier with over four decades of experience. A graduate of the University of Iowa and the Chicago School of Violin Making, she has worked as a maker and instructor, and as director of the Violin Making and Restoration Department at North Bennet Street School. Wallin has earned multiple awards for excellence in international violin making competitions and is a leader in the violin-making world.
Application Packet Download:
The workshop is limited to eleven participants, and applications must be submitted by May 1, 2025. For more information and to apply, contact Marilyn.Wallin@gmail.com.
