Toto Francesco
P.zza Lodi 1 - 26100 Cremona
Telephone: 037232661 Fax: 037232661
e-mail: toto@violintrade.com
Violins, violas, cellosRestoration and repair
Evaluations
Baroque instruments
Apprentice instruments
He was born in Lecce on the 21st of August 1972, and there he lives until the age of eighteen, when he got the diploma at the Institute of Art "G. Pellegrino". His passion for music and violinmaking takes him to the town of Cremona, when in 1990 he attends the "International Violinmaking School Antonio Stradivari".
After a short restoring experience in a violinmaking shop in Germany, he comes back to Cremona in order to improve his knowledge about modern bow instruments making.
From 1996 he practises as a professional violinmaker in his workshop in Piazza Lodi, in the centre of Cremona, getting close professional relationships with some of the most important Cremonese violinmakers workshops. His working philosophy tries to include in the classical instruments shapes the fundamental principles of arts and music, getting deeper interpersonal relationships and developing them more and more in a continuous merging of life and work.
He is member of the Violinmakers Consortium "A. Stradivari" - Cremona and of the Violin Society of America.
He was given a prize with the bronze medal for the Cello Section at the Mittenwald International Competition in 2001. He also got a Certificate of Merit for Cello Workmanship at the 15th International Competition 2002 of the Violin Society of America. In 2003 he took part to the 10th International Triennal Competition of the String Instruments in Cremona, obtaining the Mention of Honour for the 4th place in the cello section. In 2005 he obtained the silver medal for a cello at the V Edition of Mittenwald International Competition.
After a short restoring experience in a violinmaking shop in Germany, he comes back to Cremona in order to improve his knowledge about modern bow instruments making.
From 1996 he practises as a professional violinmaker in his workshop in Piazza Lodi, in the centre of Cremona, getting close professional relationships with some of the most important Cremonese violinmakers workshops. His working philosophy tries to include in the classical instruments shapes the fundamental principles of arts and music, getting deeper interpersonal relationships and developing them more and more in a continuous merging of life and work.
He is member of the Violinmakers Consortium "A. Stradivari" - Cremona and of the Violin Society of America.
He was given a prize with the bronze medal for the Cello Section at the Mittenwald International Competition in 2001. He also got a Certificate of Merit for Cello Workmanship at the 15th International Competition 2002 of the Violin Society of America. In 2003 he took part to the 10th International Triennal Competition of the String Instruments in Cremona, obtaining the Mention of Honour for the 4th place in the cello section. In 2005 he obtained the silver medal for a cello at the V Edition of Mittenwald International Competition.