José Antonio Tavira & Eduardo Castaño 16 3/16" viola, Querétaro, 2024 | Metzler Violins

Eduardo Castaño

Mexican born in Okayama, Japan. At the age of 5, he began studying piano for 10 years. At the age of 14 he began playing the cello out of his own interest and the first classes given by his grandfather, Francisco Nogueras. He is a 2013 graduate of the INBA School of Violin Making in Querétaro, Mexico.

During his school years and after graduating, he had made multiple stays in Mendoza, Argentina (2010-2016). Under the guidance of Violin Maker Agustín Rosso.
Stay in Cremona, Italy (2017). Worked at the Ribes & Jost workshop, where he worked under the guidance of Violin Makers Sebastián Ribes and Marianne Jost with a focus in new making.
Stay in Tottori, Japan. (2018) Worked at Atelier Kimura, under the guidance of Violin MakerTetsuya Kimura.

Currently self employed in Querétaro, Mexico, offering musicians contemporary instruments in his workshop.

https://www.lutheriacastano.com/

José Antonio Tavira López was born in Mexico City on February 3rd, 1994. Since high
school he specialized in plastic arts, studying at the artistic education center of the National
Institute of Fine Arts (INBA) in México City, where he began his apprenticeship in Mexican
traditional instruments making, with Javier Cilveti.

From 2013 to 2018 he studied at the INBA Violin Making School, in Querétaro, where he
obtained his Bachelor's degree with the thesis "Mexican amber and its use in varnish for
stringed instruments.

Over time, José Antonio has attended various specialized workshops with renowned violin
makers such as Sebastián Ribes, Roand Belleguic, and Viateur Roy. In addition, he has
also participated in restoration workshops organized by the Violin Society of America (VSA)
in Oberlin, Ohio.

In 2019 he obtained a silver medal in the category “Workmanship Varnish Setup” and
“Honorable mention for the best young maker” in the the competition organized by the
Violin Makers Association of Arizona International (VMAAI).

Currently, José Antonio owns his workshop installed at the Museum of the City of Querétaro,
where he makes instruments of the violin family.