Gregg Alf

Who is Gregg Alf?

Gregg T. Alf is a prominent contemporary American violin maker based in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Alf made his first violin in 1975. Later, he spent 8 years in Cremona, Italy, where he graduated from the International Violin Making School and established a growing reputation for his work.

In 1984 Gregg returned to the United States, and together with Joseph Curtin, founded the violin-making studios of Curtin & Alf. His partnership with Joseph Curtin attracted the attention of numerous stars of the violin world, including Elmar Oliveira and Ruggiero Ricci. In 1993 a Curtin and Alf violin made for Oliveira set a record at a Sotheby's auction for the highest price paid for a violin by a living maker. In 1997 he opened Alf Studios at the same location in Ann Arbor.

Replicas of classic Italian instruments form the basis of his work. Aside his more traditional work, Gregg also investigates science and technology to better understand the acoustical foundations of his craft. Since 1996 he has been a faculty member at the Oberlin Summer Violin Making Workshops. In recent years he has become a recognized expert on the acoustical properties of violins. He has also received numerous awards from the Violin Society of America for his work.