Tim Bergen
Head of Restoration and Repairs
'I began working at Geo Heinl and Co. in the summer of 1982. I began playing the violin from childhood, to this day I love attending concerts, and enjoy playing many kinds of music, from Old-time, Irish and Bluegrass, to Classical. This lead to an interest in the art of making instruments. I studied violin making and repair at the Newark School of Violin Making in England, (1979-82,) under Maurice Bouette, Glen Collins, and Bob Payne. This vibrant school and its instructors had connections with well-known London workshops, including Hill's and Beare's, which provided opportunities to see many fine instruments, observe repairs in progress, and even work alonside restorers in the shop at W.E. Hill & Sons of London for a brief period. To complete my studies at Newark, I was awarded a Grant from the Canada Council of the Arts, and I graduated 'with distinction' in 1982. Since then I have had the privilege of working with many fine instruments and players in our workshop at Heinl's. In the summer of 2005, I was invited to be luthier in residence at the Stanford University Chamber Music Seminar, hosted by the renowned St. Lawrence String Quartet. Some career highlights are the restorations of the 1729 'ex-Heath' del Gesu violin, the 1700 'Taft' Stradivarius violin, and the c.1696 'Bonjour' Strad cello, all associated with the Canada Council Musical Instrument Bank, and recently restored at Heinl's the 1707 'ex-Starker' Josef Guarneri cello, and the 1738 Kroll del Gesu. Our restoration department is currently engaged in a collaborative restoration of a 1690 Francesco Ruggieri cello.'