Latest news with #TanChinSeng
South China Morning Post
a day ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
First professional violin maker in Malaysia on why he and his team have to be ‘crazy'
Hunched over his workbench, Tan Chin Seng shaves the wooden top plate of a violin, removing thin layers with slow, deliberate strokes. The work is meditative, out of the public eye. For Tan, transforming raw wood into a violin is a labour of artistry and love. The 45-year-old is Malaysia's first professional violin luthier – a maker of string instruments like violins, cellos and guitars. Over the past decade, he has earned international accolades. Now he is mentoring a new generation of makers in a field still little known in Southeast Asia. One of Tan's handcrafted violins. Photo: AP Traditionally, violin luthiers were associated with Europe, where masters like Antonio Stradivari and Giuseppe Guarneri shaped the modern violin.
SBS Australia
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- SBS Australia
"We are all crazy": Malaysian violin maker reflects on a life in tune with the music
Listen to Australian and world news, and follow trending topics with SBS News Podcasts . Standing at a workbench in his studio in Kuala Lumpur, Tan Chin Seng tunes a violin he has just finished making. The 45-year-old is Malaysia's first professional violin maker. For Tan, creating the instruments from raw wood is a labour of artistry and love. 'Everything about the process, you know, there is woodworking, carpentry, artistic thing, there is chemistry, acoustics, physics, everything about violin-making I like it. Also turning wood into musical instruments is just amazing.' Traditionally, luthiers - makers of string instruments like violins and cellos - are associated with Europe, where masters like Antonio Stradivari and Giuseppe Guarneri shaped the modern violin. But the craft has spread globally, with thriving communities of luthiers in China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. Now, in his warmly-lit studio cluttered with chunks of wood, chisels and jars of varnishes, Tan is nurturing the tradition in his own country - his workshop now making around 10 instruments a year. 'Right now, in the workshop, there is seven workbench, so they are all occupied. This takes forever, because it is never complete, just like your car, you can polish every day.' As a computer science graduate who doesn't play the violin, Tan's path to violin-making was unconventional. He was helping in his family's food business and co-owned a music school in 2010, when he made a trip to China to have an ageing violin restored. The trip sparked Tan's fascination with the craft, and led him to undergo an apprenticeship with Chinese instrument maker Han Zhao Sheng. 'At first, it was just that I find it really interesting, why not just make one violin? It's just that after completing the first violin, I knew this craft is for me, and I like it a lot and yeah.' Tan flew back and forth to Beijing for more training, then travelled to Italy to study the craft further. Over the past decade, Tan has earned international accolades for his craftsmanship, and now, he mentors a new generation of makers. While most of his students are musicians and young people, Tan says few pursue it as a trade due to the demands of the craft, and the domestic market still being small. Still, some have followed in Tan's footsteps, including Chan Song Jie, Malaysia's first female luthier. Tan says those who have decided to pursue the craft professionally make up a small but dedicated community, and one he hopes will continue to grow. 'We are all crazy, all the luthiers in this workshop are all crazy. We just love our work too much.'
The Star
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Malaysia's first professional violin maker carves out a rare craft
Hunched over his workbench, Tan Chin Seng shaves the wooden top plate of a violin, removing thin layers with slow, deliberate strokes. The work is meditative, out of the public eye. For Tan, transforming raw wood into a violin is a labour of artistry and love. The 45-year-old is Malaysia's first professional violin luthier, or maker of string instruments like violins, cellos and guitars. Over the past decade, he has earned international accolades. Now he mentors a new generation of makers in a field still little-known in South-East Asia. Traditionally, violin luthiers are associated with Europe, where masters like Antonio Stradivari and Giuseppe Guarneri shaped the modern violin. The craft has spread globally, with thriving communities now in China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. Tan's path to violin-making was unconventional. A computer science graduate who doesn't play the violin, he was helping in his family's food business and co-owned a music school. In 2010, a trip to China to restore an ageing violin sparked a deeper fascination with the instrument's construction. Curiosity led him to apprentice with Chinese luthier Han Zhao Sheng, and he built his first violin. "After completing the first violin, I knew this craft was for me,' Tan said. "There's woodworking, carpentry, artistic design. There's chemistry, acoustics, physics - everything about violin-making, I like it. Turning wood into music is just amazing.' What followed was, in Tan's words, a "crazy' devotion. He flew back and forth to Beijing for more training, then traveled to Italy to study under other luthiers. In the early days, he would spend up to 16 hours a day hunched over wood, perfecting every curve and contour. In 2015, he committed to violin-making full time. The process is painstaking, often taking hundreds of hours to create a single violin and requiring intense focus. His studio, Deciso, located in a suburb near Kuala Lumpur, is cluttered with chunks of aged wood, chisels and jars of hand-mixed varnishes. Tan crafts up to 10 instruments a year, using spruce for the top plate - the wood is prized for its resonance - and maple for the back, sides and neck. Sourced from Europe and at an annual wood fair in Shanghai, they are aged for years to ensure tonal quality and prevent warping and cracking. Each violin begins with carving and smoothing the wooden boards to precise dimensions. Tan said the top and back plates are shaped to exact thicknesses that affect resonance. The ribs are bent and assembled, and the scroll is hand-carved at the neck. Varnish - often a luthier's secret blend - is applied in thin layers for protection and tonal influence. The last steps include cutting the bridge and stringing the instrument. Tan's early years were challenging. Some Malaysian clients compared his handmade work to mass-produced instruments. But business grew after he won international awards in Italy and beyond. Today, he builds violins - and occasionally violas and cellos - mainly on commission. Half of his clients come from abroad including France, Germany and Hong Kong. Each violin sells for 12,000 euros (approximately RM59,232). Tan's journey has inspired others. While most of his students are musicians and young people, few pursue it as a trade due to the demands of the craft. Still, some have followed in his footsteps including Chan Song Jie, Malaysia's first female violin luthier. Today, there are two other full-time violin luthiers in the country, both trained by him. Tan notes that the domestic market is still too small to support many more. "I would say passion is not enough,' Tan said. "We're all crazy. Everyone in this workshop - you see - they're all crazy. We just love the work too much.' - AP
Mint
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
Malaysias first professional violin maker carves out a rare craft
SELANGOR, Malaysia (AP) — Hunched over his workbench, Tan Chin Seng shaves the wooden top plate of a violin, removing thin layers with slow, deliberate strokes. The work is meditative, out of the public eye. For Tan, transforming raw wood into a violin is a labor of artistry and love. The 45-year-old is Malaysia's first professional violin luthier, or maker of string instruments like violins, cellos and guitars. Over the past decade, he has earned international accolades. Now he mentors a new generation of makers in a field still little-known in Southeast Asia. Traditionally, violin luthiers are associated with Europe, where masters like Antonio Stradivari and Giuseppe Guarneri shaped the modern violin. The craft has spread globally, with thriving communities now in China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. Tan's path to violin-making was unconventional. A computer science graduate who doesn't play the violin, he was helping in his family's food business and co-owned a music school. In 2010, a trip to China to restore an aging violin sparked a deeper fascination with the instrument's construction. Curiosity led him to apprentice with Chinese luthier Han Zhao Sheng, and he built his first violin. 'After completing the first violin, I knew this craft was for me,' Tan said. 'There's woodworking, carpentry, artistic design. There's chemistry, acoustics, physics — everything about violin-making, I like it. Turning wood into music is just amazing.' What followed was, in Tan's words, a 'crazy' devotion. He flew back and forth to Beijing for more training, then traveled to Italy to study under other luthiers. In the early days, he would spend up to 16 hours a day hunched over wood, perfecting every curve and contour. In 2015, he committed to violin-making full time. The process is painstaking, often taking hundreds of hours to create a single violin and requiring intense focus. His studio, Deciso, located in a suburb near Kuala Lumpur, is cluttered with chunks of aged wood, chisels and jars of hand-mixed varnishes. Tan crafts up to 10 instruments a year, using spruce for the top plate — the wood is prized for its resonance — and maple for the back, sides and neck. Sourced from Europe and at an annual wood fair in Shanghai, they are aged for years to ensure tonal quality and prevent warping and cracking. Each violin begins with carving and smoothing the wooden boards to precise dimensions. Tan said the top and back plates are shaped to exact thicknesses that affect resonance. The ribs are bent and assembled, and the scroll is hand-carved at the neck. Varnish — often a luthier's secret blend — is applied in thin layers for protection and tonal influence. The last steps include cutting the bridge and stringing the instrument. Tan's early years were challenging. Some Malaysian clients compared his handmade work to mass-produced instruments. But business grew after he won international awards in Italy and beyond. Today, he builds violins — and occasionally violas and cellos — mainly on commission. Half of his clients come from abroad including France, Germany and Hong Kong. Each violin sells for 12,000 euros ($14,000). Tan's journey has inspired others. While most of his students are musicians and young people, few pursue it as a trade due to the demands of the craft. Still, some have followed in his footsteps including Chan Song Jie, Malaysia's first female violin luthier. Today, there are two other full-time violin luthiers in the country, both trained by him. Tan notes that the domestic market is still too small to support many more. 'I would say passion is not enough,' Tan said. 'We're all crazy. Everyone in this workshop — you see — they're all crazy. We just love the work too much.'
Asahi Shimbun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Asahi Shimbun
Malaysia's first professional violin maker carves out a rare craft
SELANGOR, Malaysia--Hunched over his workbench, Tan Chin Seng shaves the wooden top plate of a violin, removing thin layers with slow, deliberate strokes. The work is meditative, out of the public eye. For Tan, transforming raw wood into a violin is a labor of artistry and love. The 45-year-old is Malaysia's first professional violin luthier, or maker of string instruments like violins, cellos and guitars. Over the past decade, he has earned international accolades. Now he mentors a new generation of makers in a field still little-known in Southeast Asia. Traditionally, violin luthiers are associated with Europe, where masters like Antonio Stradivari and Giuseppe Guarneri shaped the modern violin. The craft has spread globally, with thriving communities now in China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. Tan's path to violin-making was unconventional. A computer science graduate who doesn't play the violin, he was helping in his family's food business and co-owned a music school. In 2010, a trip to China to restore an aging violin sparked a deeper fascination with the instrument's construction. Curiosity led him to apprentice with Chinese luthier Han Zhao Sheng, and he built his first violin. 'After completing the first violin, I knew this craft was for me,' Tan said. 'There's woodworking, carpentry, artistic design. There's chemistry, acoustics, physics — everything about violin-making, I like it. Turning wood into music is just amazing.' What followed was, in Tan's words, a 'crazy' devotion. He flew back and forth to Beijing for more training, then traveled to Italy to study under other luthiers. In the early days, he would spend up to 16 hours a day hunched over wood, perfecting every curve and contour. In 2015, he committed to violin-making full time. The process is painstaking, often taking hundreds of hours to create a single violin and requiring intense focus. His studio, Deciso, located in a suburb near Kuala Lumpur, is cluttered with chunks of aged wood, chisels and jars of hand-mixed varnishes. Tan crafts up to 10 instruments a year, using spruce for the top plate — the wood is prized for its resonance — and maple for the back, sides and neck. Sourced from Europe and at an annual wood fair in Shanghai, they are aged for years to ensure tonal quality and prevent warping and cracking. Each violin begins with carving and smoothing the wooden boards to precise dimensions. Tan said the top and back plates are shaped to exact thicknesses that affect resonance. The ribs are bent and assembled, and the scroll is hand-carved at the neck. Varnish — often a luthier's secret blend — is applied in thin layers for protection and tonal influence. The last steps include cutting the bridge and stringing the instrument. Tan's early years were challenging. Some Malaysian clients compared his handmade work to mass-produced instruments. But business grew after he won international awards in Italy and beyond. Today, he builds violins — and occasionally violas and cellos — mainly on commission. Half of his clients come from abroad including France, Germany and Hong Kong. Each violin sells for 12,000 euros ($14,000). Tan's journey has inspired others. While most of his students are musicians and young people, few pursue it as a trade due to the demands of the craft. Still, some have followed in his footsteps including Chan Song Jie, Malaysia's first female violin luthier. Today, there are two other full-time violin luthiers in the country, both trained by him. Tan notes that the domestic market is still too small to support many more. 'I would say passion is not enough,' Tan said. 'We're all crazy. Everyone in this workshop — you see — they're all crazy. We just love the work too much.'
