His life

Thomas Meuwissen is Belgian and since 1987 has concentrated on making violins, violas and cellos. From his base in Brussels he has over the years built up an international clientele.

Fascinated by sculpture and architecture, he initially took an art course, where his love of materials and craftsmanship combined with creativity gradually took shape.

After preparatory studies in Belgium he opted for a course abroad, at one of the best institutions of the day, the Newark School of Violin Making in England, and after three years he graduated there.

In the years that followed he perfected his skills in the workshops of Premysl Spidlen in Prague and Fréderique Chaudière in Montpellier, among others. From 1993 to 2006,  he has been the ‘violin maker in residence’ at the Royal Conservatory in Brussels, where his presence was  highly valued. In the beginning  2007, he opened his new workshop in Brussels. For The Queen Elizabeth Competition for violin, he gave exhaustive television commentary on the instruments played by the finalists.

His instruments are much appreciated by soloists and orchestral musicians both at home and abroad (Vadim Repin, Maria Kliegel, Igor Oistrakh, Diederik Suys, Harro Ruijsenaars, and others). In 1999 he was a winner of the Concours de lutherie et d’archeterie de la ville de Paris and in 2005 he was awarded the Silver Medal for Viola at the Internationaler Geigenbau Wettbewerb in Mittenwald, Germany.

Workshop

Thomas Meuwissen’s new workshop is housed in a spacious maison the maître of 1906, close to the centre of Brussels and next to the main international train station Gare de midi. Brussels is a lively city of culture at the heart of Europe, with an overwhelming range of top-quality concert venues (Palace of Fine Arts, La Monnaie, Flagey, Conservatory, Queen Elizabeth Contest, etc.). It is close to such musical cities as Antwerp (deSingel, Flanders Opera), Ghent (Handelsbeurs, Opera) and Bruges (Concert Hall). Paris, Amsterdam and London are within easy reach.

Meuwissen’s work is stimulated by his intensive contacts with the upper echelons of the musical world. The fact that so many stars pass through means that fascinating instruments are also entrusted to this workshop for essential adjustments.

Site realized with the support of Brussel Export.