Bernard Ouchard

Who is Bernard Ouchard?

Bernard Ouchard was a French master bow maker and teacher in the School of Violin and Bowmaking of Mirecourt, France. He is considered by some to have been the last historical French master bow maker.

Bernard Ouchard was the son of Émile Auguste Ouchard and the grandson of Émile Francois Ouchard, both famous bowmakers. He learned his craft from his father and later worked for Vidoudez in Geneva. He was asked to return to France and give a new impetus to the revival of the French tradition of bow making. He became the master bowmaker and teacher in the School of Violin and Bowmaking of Mirecourt, France.

"Bernard, son of E. A. Ouchard, became his pupil, and worked with Vidoudez in Geneva before being appointed professor of bow making at the Mirecourt school in 1971, giving rise to the New French School which has produced such luminaries as Benoît Rolland, Jean-Francois Raffin and Stephane Thomachot. Most notable of the younger generation include Edwin Clement, Sylvain Bigot, Gilles Nehr and Yannick LeCanu." -Gennady Filimonov