 Roger
Zabinski
Master Bow Maker
As one of his generation's most respected traditional bow
makers, Roger personifies the passion for excellence in bow making.
Handcrafting fine pernambuco bows in the French tradition for or
over 30 years, Roger has developed a style that is recognized worldwide
for its elegance and playability. As instruments of the trade, his
bows are in the hands of some of the finest players of our time.
As works of art, a quartet of his bows have earned permanent residence
in the Smithsonian Institution’s musical instrument collection,
with numerous awards and a Gold medal from the Violin Society of
America.
Timelessly elegant and richly playable, Roger’s bows are a
mindful balance of art and science that reflect his journey to becoming
a master bow maker.
As a child, the work of the physicist or chemist captured Roger’s
imagination. However, in college, the allure of cello performance
and the University of Minnesota’s music history program drew
him into the world of music and art. While his passion for music
led him to instrument making and eventually to master bow making,
his passion for science remained alive.
Consistent with his personality, Roger blended both artistic and
scientific approaches to bow making during his long period of training
as an internationally recognized bow maker. His first teacher, Martin
Beilke, was a master bow maker who had an early career in mechanics
and engineering; those who played Martin's bows is a Who's Who List
of the performing artists of his generation. Roger absorbed Beilke's
extrordinary technical grasp of the fine bow: taper, weight, stiffness,
and balance. Learning the finest French methods of bowmaking with
William Salchow of New York, Roger's aesthetic sensibilities became
finely honed. The art and science of Roger's bows reflect the man
himself.
Today, as a career-long member of the American Federation of Violin
and Bow Makers, Roger has crafted nearly 700 bows in his Minnesota
workshop.
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