Ewen Thomson
Encyclopedia
Ewen Thomson is a luthier
from Shetland specialising in violins, violas and cellos.
Ewen grew up in a musical family in Fair Isle
and at age 16 began studying at The Newark
School of Violin Making, graduating with merit. He was the youngest ever student to be accepted onto the course. In 1991 he returned to his native Fair Isle and set up a workshop. He later moved his business to Sandwick
on the Shetland mainland and then to a workshop at his home in Channerwick.
His instruments are based on classical Italian models and are played by musicians throughout the British Isles, including Chris Stout
, also from Fair Isle, and several members of Shetland band Fiddlers' Bid
. Commissions have included violins for the National Museums of Scotland
, Cheetham School of Music and the Mendelssohn on Mull Trust.
Ewen plays fiddle with several groups including Fullsceilidh Spelemannslag and Friðarey.
Luthier
A luthier is someone who makes or repairs lutes and other string instruments. In the United States, the term is used interchangeably with a term for the specialty of each maker, such as violinmaker, guitar maker, lute maker, etc...
from Shetland specialising in violins, violas and cellos.
Ewen grew up in a musical family in Fair Isle
Fair Isle
Fair Isle is an island in northern Scotland, lying around halfway between mainland Shetland and the Orkney islands. It is famous for its bird observatory and a traditional style of knitting.-Geography:...
and at age 16 began studying at The Newark
Newark-on-Trent
Newark-on-Trent is a market town in Nottinghamshire in the East Midlands region of England. It stands on the River Trent, the A1 , and the East Coast Main Line railway. The origins of the town are possibly Roman as it lies on an important Roman road, the Fosse Way...
School of Violin Making, graduating with merit. He was the youngest ever student to be accepted onto the course. In 1991 he returned to his native Fair Isle and set up a workshop. He later moved his business to Sandwick
Sandwick, Shetland
Sandwick is a township in the Shetland Islands, situated 13 miles south of Lerwick in the South Mainland. It comprises a number of distinct settlements in very close proximity to each other, each remaining distinct through being separated by agricultural land...
on the Shetland mainland and then to a workshop at his home in Channerwick.
His instruments are based on classical Italian models and are played by musicians throughout the British Isles, including Chris Stout
Chris Stout
Chris Stout is a fiddle/violin player from Shetland, now based in Glasgow. Stout grew up in Fair Isle, a small Shetland island, and lived there until 8 years of age before moving to Sandwick on the Shetland mainland, then on to Glasgow in the 1990s....
, also from Fair Isle, and several members of Shetland band Fiddlers' Bid
Fiddlers' Bid
Fiddlers' Bid are a Shetland based instrumental group known for playing contemporary arrangements of traditional Shetland fiddle tunes. The seven piece line-up consists of four fiddles, acoustic guitar, bass guitar and piano/Clàrsach....
. Commissions have included violins for the National Museums of Scotland
National Museums of Scotland
National Museums Scotland is the organization that runs several national museums of Scotland. It is one of the country's National Collections, and holds internationally important collections of natural sciences, decorative arts, world cultures, science and technology, and Scottish history and...
, Cheetham School of Music and the Mendelssohn on Mull Trust.
Ewen plays fiddle with several groups including Fullsceilidh Spelemannslag and Friðarey.