STAFF PICK: Shawn C. recommends this violin in its price range

This instrument is part of our fifth annual Contemporary American Makers Exhibition, 2022

     Alex first became interested in violin making in 2006, after his children began taking violin lessons in Austin, Texas.  He also started violin lessons with his children and eventually that led to collecting and repairing violins, then donating them to students in local orchestras.  He commissioned a violin for his daughter in 2008 and it was inspiring to be involved in the process of choosing the model it would be based on, and the wood.  Alex started learning the process and making a violin with the guidance of a local violin maker in Austin.  While visiting family in Nebraska he visited a violin shop and asked about the possibility of apprenticing and learning more about violin making, soon he was hooked!  A year later, in 2013, he entered his first violin maker’s competition in Arizona (VMAAI) and won the Grand Prize for best overall tone, and a Gold medal for tone.  Alex won a 2017 silver medal overall for violin, and he again won the top prize for tone in 2019 for his violin and Silver medal for his viola. 

     His instruments are in the hands of professional violinists across the country as well conservatory students at the New England Conservatory of Music, and Drake University.

     In 2015 Alex and his wife Genevieve started Violins of Omaha where he is a full time luthier and shop owner.  Alex passionately handcrafts each instrument, making his own varnish and ground system.  Alex devotes himself to the craft full time and continues his quest to produce the best instruments he can.  Alex collaborates with local makers and musicians to provide the highest quality handcrafted instruments.  In 2019, Vice media and Mailchimp Presents did a short documentary on him.  If you would like to learn more about him you can find it at:

https://mailchimp.com/presents/series/second-act/alex-reza

Strings magazine article by Alex:

https://stringsmagazine.com/the-brilliance-beauty-artistry-chaos-of-guarneri-del-gesus-instruments/

Alex is a member of the VSA, SVA, and the VMAAI.  He currently serves on the board of directors of the VMAAI. Being largely a self-taught maker, he gained admission into the VSA workshops in Oberlin and is a regular attendee of the VSA acoustics workshops, where he further hones his craft by learning all he can from top tier violin making friends and colleagues.  Alex makes it a point to attend those competitions and conventions across the USA, continually learning and enhancing his skill set.  AME4VN