Douglas C. Cox (born 1948) is a contemporary American
violinmaker
A luthier ( ; AmE also ) is a craftsperson who builds or repairs string instruments that have a neck and a sound box. The word "luthier" is originally French and comes from the French word for lute. The term was originally used for makers ...
. He has been building instruments since 1981, and has made over 1000 violins, violas and cellos.
Cox received his early training at the State Violin Making School in Mittenwald, Germany. He spent ten years as head of the repair department and chief restorer for the firm of J. Bradley Taylor, Inc. in Boston before establishing his own studio in
Brattleboro
Brattleboro (), originally Brattleborough, is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The most populous municipality abutting Vermont's eastern border with New Hampshire, which is the Connecticut River, Brattleboro is located about nor ...
,
Vermont in 1985.
His instruments have received awards from
The Violin Society of America The Violin Society of America (VSA) is an American organization devoted to makers and dealers of violins, violas, and cellos. It is also open to players of these instruments.
It was founded in 1973, and formerly based in Poughkeepsie, New York. It ...
, and are owned and played by many professional musicians, including classical players
Jaime Laredo, Daniel Panner, James Buswell, the late
Eric Rosenblith
Eric Rosenblith (December 11, 1920 – December 16, 2010) was an Austrian-born American violinist. He was the former concertmaster of the Indianapolis and San Antonio Symphony Orchestras, and had performed as a soloist and chamber musician throug ...
, the late Marylou Speaker Churchill of the
Boston Symphony, and the late Robert Koff of the
Juilliard Quartet
The Juilliard String Quartet is a classical music string quartet founded in 1946 at the Juilliard School in New York by William Schuman. Since its inception, it has been the quartet-in-residence at the Juilliard School. It has received numerous ...
; jazz and contemporary players such as
Todd Reynolds,
Ralph Farris,
Mat Maneri
Mat Maneri (born October 4, 1969) is an American composer, violin, and viola player. He is the son of the saxophonist Joe Maneri and Sonja Maneri.
Career
Maneri has recorded with Cecil Taylor, Guerino Mazzola, Matthew Shipp, Joe Morris, G ...
,
Eugene Friesen; baroque players such as Laura Jeppeson and Daniel Stepner of
Boston Baroque, and by such institutions as
Indiana University,
Oberlin Conservatory, Ravinia Festival's Steans Institute, the
United States Marine Band,
University of North Texas, the
National Music Museum, and
Lawrence University
Many of his instruments are close copies of unusual and noteworthy master instruments. Techniques he uses to analyze the acoustic properties of violins include audio spectrum analysis, density testing, and materials modification.
His publications include: “The Baroque Violin” and “Copying the Harrison Stradivari.”
[''Journal of the Violin Society of America'' XI.3 (1992) 83-112.]
Footnotes
References
Brattleboro Reformer, January 19–20, 2008 Photo Journal, “King of String”
Brattleboro Reformer, October 24, 2008
“Local violin maker recognized by Windham County Arts Council”
Northern Woodlands Magazine, Winter 2002
“Sonatas in Spruce; Minuets in Maple”
The Deerfield Valley News, July 23, 1997
“Work is music to violin maker’s ears”
External links
Cox Violins Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cox, Douglass
American luthiers
Bowed string instrument makers
People from Brattleboro, Vermont
1948 births
Living people