Jury about the12th International
Henryk Wieniawski Violin Making Competition

  • A letter of Roger Hargrave – Chairman of the Jury to Andrzej Wituski – Director of the Competition:


Dear Andrzej,

I am now about to return to my normal work at the bench, but before I do I must thank you once again for your kind invitation to the Henryk Wieniawski International Violin Making Competition. I remember with fondness my last visit to your beautiful town. But this time our reception and treatment surpassed even that remarkable event. Everyone was so kind, helpful and charming. It was as if the whole town was involved in welcoming our jury team. I use the word team because that is how we worked together; like a well organised team. But of course this would not have been possible without the exceptional organisation of your team.

In fact the success of this competition was mainly due to your combined efforts. I know from experience that when things work easily for a jury it is only because someone is working very hard in the background. I have been judging competitions for almost 30 years and in my considered opinion this was the best organised competition that it has been my pleasure to take part in. In addition the standard of violin making was exceptionally high and I must congratulate all who submitted their work.

I am honoured that you invited me to be the chairman of your jury, but I must also thank you for the great honour which you bestowed upon me with the "Lifetime Achievement Award".

Please convey my best wishes to everyone including my fellow judges. I wish you all many more successful events of this nature. The beautiful city of Poznan truly deserves its international reputation for its musical heritage.

With kindest regards to you all, (including to the translator of this letter)

Roger Graham Hargrave                                                                                                          Meyenburg 17-05-2011

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  • A letter of Roland Baumgartner to Andrzej Wituski – Director of the Competition:
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Reviews and thanks of Members of the Jury of 12th International Henryk Wieniawski Violin Making Competition:

I think I speak for all of us when I say how completely professional and totally pleasant you all were and what a great time we all had. It was a pleasure and a honour for me,  that the Wienawski Society invited me to participate at this important event and please be assured, that I appreciate really all the more then competent work from your team. It was really a top-organisation and furthermore I liked both the ambiance from the living city of Poznan very much, it was a great experience!
Roland Baugartner

I am back to my home and workshop with good memories of this week with you all. A week of hard work, it is always uncomfortable to judge other makers works, but also a very nice atmosphere with the other juries and your team. I am ready for more competitions of this kind!
Patrick Robin

I think I speak for all of us when I say how completely professional and totally pleasant you all were and what a great time we all had.
Joseph Grubaugh

I had a wonderful time working hard; but most of all, it's the new friendships which are most important and will stay with me.
I have already heard from members of our jury so the competition brought people together.

Herbert Greenberg

It was a very nice last week in Poznan, the atmosphere was absolutely friendly.  It was really great to aggregate different opinion and taste of every member of jury, with respect for each one. The purpose to put on the table our eight best violins for us, is very impressed in my mind. So, your organization is very well tested and efficent and we were working in perfect conditions. My wormest greetings and hugs!
Primo Pistoni

Jury of the 12th International Henryk Wieniawski Violin Making Competition.
Standing from left: Roman Lasocki, Patrick Robin, Roger Hargrave, Jan Spidlen, Joseph Grubaugh, Herbert Greenberg, Primo Pistoni, Dima Tkachenko, Wojciech Łukasz, Norbert Kijanka and Roland Baumgartner.