Nicolas Gilles participates in many meetings and exhibitions:
• Making of a copy of the “Ole Bull” violin by Guarneri De Gesu in 2010 at the museum of Bergen, Norway.
• Musicora (Paris – France).
• Mundo Musica (Cremona – Italy).
• Kronberg Cello Festival (Kronberg – Germany).
• Klanggelstalten (Berlin- Germany).
• Violin making meeting in Oberlin, USA.
• Gives violin making lessons in Izmir (Turkey) in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022.
• Member of the jury for the viola making competition (« Viola’s ») in Paris, 2016.
He is involved in several associations:
• Member of ALADFI (French Association of Luthiers and Bowmakers for the Development of Instrumental Making).
• Member of VSA (association of violin makers in the United States).
Nicolas participates in the organization of the exhibition “Stradivarius – Montpellier 2008” bringing together 15 instruments of the great Master luthier of the 18th century and also collaborated in the organization, in 2011, of the “Fête des Luthiers” in Montpellier.
He published in September 2011 with « Darling publications » in Koln, Germany, a book entitled “4 quartets” illustrating the 16 award-winning instruments between 2004 and 2010 at the international VSA violin making competition. In this beautiful case of 33cm by 35cm and 60 pages with the cover changing color according to the light, we discover his work and his career in French and English.
«Lutherie is a very specialized discipline. It can also bring the luthier towards different fields related to each other such as history, music, botany, architecture, chemistry.
During manufacture, the luthier certainly trusts his experience and his knowledge but also his own senses, his intuition in order to create the instrument which will allow the musician to express himself freely with the widest possible sound palette. I am mainly inspired by Italian luthiers who developed and perfected the violin from the 16th to the 18th century.
I am happy that the quality of my instruments is recognized by numerous prizes in various lutherie competitions, but above all that they can express themselves in the hands of talented European and American musicians such as Vadim Tchijik, David Harding, Jose Mor, the Shanghai Quartet…»
Nicolas Gilles
Violin Maker in Villeneuvette – France
Making of violin, viola and cello