The Violin Maker

Born in Germany in 1966, Friedrich Alber became interested in music at a very early age and started the violin when he was nine year's old. Later he discovered the viola, which he still plays today, preferably in the chamber music domain.

He discovered violin making at the age of sixteen year's old, and after obtaining his Diploma with Distinction from the Newark School of Violin Making (England) he arrived in France and worked for four years with Frédéric Chaudière.

Friedrich Alber has lived in Montpellier since 1990, and in his workshop he devotes himself essentially to the making and adjusting of string quartet instruments. His instruments, with his production now standing at a hundred and fifty or so examples, are inspired by prestigious Italians models: Stradivari and Guarneri del gesu and Rogeri for the violins, Amati and Gagliano for the violas, and Gofriller, Grancino and Montagnana for the cellos.

The acuity of his work has won him the trust of professional musicians in France, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, USA, Korea and Japan.

In 2010 Friedrich Alber was a finalist in the Paris "Violoncelleenseine" Competition with a model Grancino cello.

In 2012 his violin and his cello were awarded first prize in the category "judges favourite" at the MUSICORA fair in Paris.

As well as making instruments he does repair and restoration work, sound adjustments along with selling and renting string quartet instruments and their accessories.