Patrick Calafato, Violist
One day, my teacher, Tasso Adamopoulos, asked me to play a viola for him that a luthier I didn’t know had left him for testing. At the time, I myself had a viola that I loved very much and that suited me perfectly. I had no intention of changing it. But that was without counting on the instant love at first sight I felt when I slid my bow across this Paul Collins viola. It’s very simple: I took it home and it’s never left me since. The sound is incredibly warm and full. In fact, Tasso immediately told me: “It’s crazy, it’s new, but it already sounds like an old Italian violin.”
Today, I’ve been playing this instrument for seven years, both as a soloist and in chamber music, and the sound only improves over time. And how easy it is to play! Everything falls perfectly under the fingers and the sound recording is direct, it’s a real joy!
As for Paul Collins, what can I say about his kindness and availability.
Mario Konaka, Baroque violinist
My baroque violin is one of the first baroque violins made by Paul at Maldon in 1997. It’s a copy of Andrea Guarneri and not only its own beautiful look but also making very beautiful sounds. Because his violins always look like old violins, people often think that they are old historical violins. Once, an old lady asked me after my recital what is my violin because my violin sound reminded her of the recital of Yehudi Menuhin which she visited many many years ago. (Which I don’t believe but I understood the impression she got.) This violin was born near the sea and it likes the humidity. I like its moist and dark/warm sound very much. I also have a classical (transitional) violin made by Paul which is a copy of G.B.Guadagnini. I loved playing it for 20 years when I played the classical repertoire like Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Mendelssohn, but it was damaged by the accident unfortunately. I ordered one another Guadagnini model few years ago and I am very happy with my new classical violin which has much more brighter sound. Paul normally likes making the model of Guarneri family but I asked him to make this model of the classical era and I am very happy to have two different faces.
Paul is a very good violin maker, additionally, Paul makes very delicious marmalade.🍊
I first met Paul’s violin during the studying at The Hague, Netherlands. Since then more than 25 years, playing his violins all over the world with different orchestras like; The Academy of Ancient Music, Les Musiciens du Louvre, The Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, Collegium Vocale Gent, Ensemble Pygmalion, Les Accents, Les Paladins(current concertmaster), Gabrieli Consort etc. Japanese living in Paris.
Jacky Woods, Violist
I have had the pleasure of playing many of Pauls violins and violas.
As a violist obviously the majority have been violas.
These have a beautiful even rich sound which projects well. They are easy to play and have incredible pegs which never let the player down. They are very well made with a beautiful golden slightly distressed look.I have many students who have gone into the profession very happily with their Collins by their side.
Jacky played professionally with the English Chamber Orchestra, London Philharmonic, Royal Opera House and Glyndebourne Touring Opera among others. She has also worked with many chamber ensembles. Her love for teaching has gradually taken over, and she now combines teaching at Junior and Primary Academy with a private teaching practice and running courses.
Steve Wright, Violist
To own and play one of Paul’s violas is special.
The workmanship and quality are exceptional, if you are searching for that sound or an instrument that just feels right he is the person.
He is someone you can trust and who a player needs
I have played several of his instruments in orchestras around the world and made many recordings always feeling the instrument would give me more when required. To explore colours and tone over the whole instrument is a pleasure not a challenge.
Stephen Wright was born in Oxford and studied music at the Royal Academy of Music in London with Gwynne Edwards and later continued his studies with Frederick Grinke and David Takeno. He is a founder member of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. He has appeared as principal with many of the UK’s leading orchestras, as well as being a soloist and has been a member of the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Stephen now lives in Sydney Australia, working as a freelance musician in his new home city and Europe, enjoying the variety of his repertoire, from shows, film scores and pop music, to performing with some of the major orchestras and ensembles in the UK and Australia.
