Hristo Todorov II

Hristo Todorov II was born on September 10, 1986 in the town of Stara Zagora, Bulgaria. Both of his parents were luthiers. His mother, Pavlina Todorova, was a celebrated violin maker and sold her instruments worldwide. His father, Hristo Todorov I, made both violins and cellos. They both experimented widely with a variety of models and varnish throughout their careers.

By sixteen, Todorov was practicing violin making at his family’s workshop. In 2007 he enrolled in Istituto Professionale Internazionale per L’ Aetigianato Liutario in Cremona, Italy, where he immersed himself in studying the traditions of Cremonese violin making. As a student Todorov worked for some well-established masters including Alessandro Gambarin and Patrizio Orippi. Later, he also collaborated with Marco Nolli.

Todorov makes all of his instruments in the 17th century Cremonese school style. He implements nearly forgotten techniques used by the old luthiers to treat wood naturally and improve the sound of his instruments. Todorov perfected his recipe for oil varnish under the guidance of Robert Brewer Young. His rich oil varnish is hand made from select high quality resins, pigments, and minerals. He also developed a unique method for stabilizing acoustic wood.

In 2012, Todorov participated in the 3rd international ANLAI Pisogne Competition and won first place for a viola. A year later, at the 7th National ANLAI 2013 Competition, he received a bronze medal for a violin. His instruments have sold in Japan, the United States, Spain, France, Italy, Canada, and Russia. Musicians and collectors praise them for their aesthetic beauty and outstanding performance quality.