Active in the
‘British Violin Making Association’
(BVMA) since it’s founding in 1995 Kai-Thomas
became its chairman from 2002-04.
Kai-Thomas makes Violins, Violas, ’Cellos
and Double Basses to modern, transitional and
baroque specifications, as well as viols. His
reputation for cellos, of which upward of 60 are
being played in concert halls the world over,
is virtually unrivalled in the United Kingdom.
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A wide choice of models already
exists for most instruments but new research will
be undertaken to customer’s wishes. Any favoured
original can be used as the basis for the instrument
to be made.
He has experimented with slightly more unusual designs
such as ‘violoncello piccolo’ and five-string
viola, as well as no longer common sizes of period
instruments.
Customers benefit from Kai-Thomas’s expertise
in sound adjustment and set up to suit the individual
artist.
Specialising exclusively in making bowed stringed
instruments all experience and expertise gained since
1986 are concentrated on the manufacture of these
intricate complex artefacts. For that reason Kai-Thomas
neither has a shop nor employees and he does not deal
in old instruments or undertake repairs. This puts
him amongst the few makers who immerse themselves
completely in creating instruments.
Among his customers for Period Instruments are the
following:
Peter Collier (English Baroque Soloists et
al.): baroque viola after A. Guarneri
Richard Campbell (Fretwork et al.): baroque Cello
after G.P. Maggini
Robert Lay (ex-BBC Scottish Orch.): vc-piccolo, five
string after P. Rombouts
To order by professor Jaap ter Linden: two baroque
cellos for Musikhochschule Würzburg after G.B.
Guadagnini (Isserlis) & C. Tononi (ex-Casals)
Professor Alexander Baillie: bass viol, own model
Among his customers for Modern Instruments are the
following:
Anita Sulski (former student with R.Ricci)
violin after Guar. del Gesú, (1742,’Alard’)
Kate Read (LSO,BBC Symph. et al.): viola (16”1/2)
after J. Hill
Helen Thatcher (Sorrel Quartet et al): cello after
F. Ruggieri (RNCM)
Hannah Roberts (cello professor RNCM): cello after
M. Goffriller
Toril Syrrist Gelgota (Oslo Phil.): cello after C.G.
Testore (Ferrand)
Sian Evans (Ulster Orchestra): cello after M. Goffriller
(C.Carr)
Anna Shuttleworth (ex-cello professor RCM et al):
cello after her C.Tononi
Neil Heyde (Kreutzer Quartet, cello teacher RAM):
cello after M. Goffriller
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