Huntington artisan is world-famous for making violins

<p>In honor of National Violin Day, a celebration of the cultural impact of the stringed instrument, News 12 Long Island's Virginia Huie and photojournalist Dave Garden visited a world-famous artisan's Huntington workshop.</p>

News 12 Staff

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Dec 13, 2018, 1:00 PM

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Updated 1,967 days ago

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In honor of National Violin Day, a celebration of the cultural impact of the stringed instrument, News 12 Long Island's Virginia Huie and photojournalist Dave Garden visited a world-famous artisan's Huntington workshop.

Professional violin maker Charles Rufino has been working in his trade since 1974.

"I wound up going to Europe for an apprenticeship," he says. "When I landed in England I got bit by the violin bug and there was no looking back."

Rufino went into great detail about his process of making master violins.

"To make a violin, you start with a well-seasoned piece of wood that's been drying for many years," he explains. "Making an instrument, a great deal of it is, thousands, tens of thousands of simple cuts."

VIDEO: Extended interview with professional violin maker Charles Rufino

Dale Stuckenbruck got a violin made by Rufino in 1996.

"He's absolutely in the top of violin makers in the world," Stuckenbruck says. "He's very passionate about every detail and that's what it really takes."

Rufino's violins have been played in many major music venues, including the Metropolitan Opera and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

MORE INFORMATION:
Rufino Violins
LI Violin Shop