Somewhere in Linden, Johannesburg, Albertus Bekker is putting the finishing touches to a new violin after almost 150 hours of painstaking work.

Bekker is what is known as a luthier – he handcrafts, repairs and maintains string instruments.

If you asked a teenage Bekker if this is what he thought he would be doing at age 56 to pay the bills, the answer would probably be no. See, Bekker is a mechanical engineer by training.

“I have a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Pretoria,” he explains.

“After graduating, I began my career in Johannesburg as an engineer with an international firm in the petrochemical industry.

“A few years later, I transitioned to the financial sector and worked for 24 years as a market risk manager at one of South Africa’s major banks.

“That was my profession until 2021, when I left the corporate world to pursue violin- making full-time through Bekker Music.”

Bekker’s luthier ambitions trace back much further, though. They have their roots in 1988, when he first saw a violin being put together in Mittenwald, Germany, while backpacking through Europe.

“There was something captivating about the combination of fine woodworking, acoustic engineering and musical artistry,” he explains.

“On my return, I tried making a violin, but this was before the Internet. I also couldn’t afford to import the expensive wood and tools needed to build such an instrument.

“I soon realised that this was not going to work and gave up.

“Then, in 2000, I tried again, but with the right wood, tools and budget.”

This time around Bekker completed the project.

Success must have tasted pretty sweet, as violin-making became a “passionate after-hours pursuit”.

This pursuit gradually gained momentum, until Bekker officially registered Bekker Music as a fully fledged family business in 2021.

“My wife Emma helps with marketing and client liaison, and my eldest son Pirow helps with running the business. He is also now learning the craft. It’s been a deeply rewarding transition.”

(Versatility seems to run in the family, as Emma is also a published poet, with Pirow originally trained as a geneticist and master beer brewer.)

Today, Bekker Music handcrafts violins, violas and cellos.

Each instrument is built to order and tailored to suit the particular musician’s desired sound and feel.

Bekker’s clients include professional orchestral musicians, soloists, talented students and collectors.

Some notable owners are Zanta Hofmeyr, Serge Cuca, Maretha Uys (assistant concert master of the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra), and Daphne Rudolph, who performed on one of Bekker’s violas at the famed Carnegie Hall in New York.

“I’ve also had the honour of working on instruments belonging to Joshua Bell and Rachel Lee Priday during their visits to South Africa,” says Bekker.

While most of Bekker’s instruments are played in South Africa, his business has exported a number of violins.

“There is growing interest from overseas clients through referrals and direct commissions.”

Truly Handmade
Bekker builds two to three instruments a year.

“I do not manufacture for shops – my process is too personal and time-intensive for commercial distribution.”

Bekker Music also imports student-level instruments from China, and buys old instruments to restore and resell.

Bekker’s process includes various steps.

First he designs the instrument, typically based on a historically successful instrument by an old master, while he also takes into account the client’s particular needs.

Then he selects a tonewood for its specific acoustic and visual properties.

All of the tonewoods are imported from Europe – spruce for the soundboard, maple for the back, ribs and neck, and ebony for the fittings.

South African woods are unfortunately not acoustically suitable for use in bowed string instruments.

Following this, Bekker manufactures the moulds and templates based on the completed design.

The next step is to make the instrument’s rib structure and scroll, which is a process that requires the luthier to bend the sides and carve the scroll.

Following this, the top and back plates are carved by hand, after which the body is assembled with traditional hide glue.

The next step is to varnish the instrument by applying multiple hand-rubbed layers of oil-based varnish.

“I also use only natural resins and mineral grounds,” says Bekker.

Finally the instrument is prepared for its debut by fitting the bridge, soundpost, fingerboard, pegs and strings.

Bekker says it takes 100 to 150 hours of hands-on work to produce one instrument, usually spread over a number of months.

“A lot of this time is spent waiting for glue and varnish to dry.”

The most challenging part of the process is the varnishing, says Bekker.

“It’s an art form in itself, as it has a direct effect on the instrument’s sound and appearance.”

Performance-Based
For Bekker, the greatest joy is hearing one of his instruments being played in a performance – “especially when you weren’t expecting it”.

“It feels like hearing your child speak for the first time. I once attended a William Kentridge production and recognised the silhouette of one of my violas on stage.”

According to Bekker, the hallmarks of a great cello or violin are its depth, projection, responsiveness and tonal balance across all of the strings.

“It should allow a musician to play both powerfully and delicately, with full control.

“Craftsmanship, setup and varnish also play critical roles in tone and feel.”

Bekker regards patience as the most important skill in his job, alongside a willingness to listen – “to the wood, to the player, and to the instrument as it develops”.

Precision and an ear for tone are essential too.

And, for those who are curious – yes, Bekker can play the violin.

“I studied violin throughout school and played in orchestras well into adulthood, including the Rand Symphony Orchestra.

“My experience as a player helps immensely when setting up instruments and understanding what musicians are looking for in an instrument.”

Bekker describes the violin as a rare and beautiful object.

“It has been virtually unchanged since the 1500s, with some of the earliest examples still being played on a daily basis.

“A luthier from the sixteenth century will be able to walk into my workshop and build an instrument using the same tools, methods and materials.

“That continuity fascinates me – and reminds me that violin-making isn’t just a trade. It’s a living heritage.”