Nemessányi László
Instrument maker
Instrument making
and me
My instruments can be found in various places around the globe:
in Finland, Sweden, France, Germany, Austria, in the USA in Seattle, Los Angeles, Hawaii, and of course in Hungary
I've been making instruments for over 45 years. Nowadays I make mostly violins, from carefully selected, naturally aged materials.
My family’s famous ancestor Sámuel Félix Nemessányi (1837-1881) made the Nemessányi name world famous among both violin players and violin makers.
Nowadays there are very few professions like mine, where people make unique workpieces only using their hands and tools. I aim to make all my instruments better than the last, and repair/restore all instruments brought to me to the best of my abilities. Many who visit my workshop are surprised by the beauty and timelessness of some of the tools I use.
In today’s world we still work with the same tools as our ancestors did for centuries before us. It is odd to think that many of our instruments will still be around long after we have passed, and will change owners many times, or are inherited through generations. Furthermore, instruments are unique items that keep increasing in value over time. This is why my work requires a lot of patience and concentration, so both the instrument and its owner will thank me for it.
Every piece of work is a new challenge. This motivates me to always be open to learn new techniques and methods, and to never be afraid to ask for advice from others. I make all of my instruments with great care, always aiming for perfection, so it will bring joy to its owner both in its looks and its sound.
I participated in the first international competition of BVMA (British Violin Makers Association) in London, in 2004. Since 2015 I’ve also participated in 3 of their bow and violin restoration courses.
My pupils
I started teaching very early in my carreer, in 1981. In 1989 to 1990 I’ve repaired instruments for the hungarian Filharmonic band. In this period, I’ve had Krisztina Dolmányos as a pupil. From 1992 to 1993 I worked as the workshop manager of the Accord Gallery in Budapest. Here, me and my colleague László Lakatos, have taught Bence Holló, István Molnár, György Kuthy and László Váradi. In 1996 I started working alone in my workshop again. Since then I taught Dániel Lukács, Ákos Balázs, Dániel Béres, and my lovely wife, Katalin Rudnai.