The first course of the Municipal Stringed Instruments School in Milan dates back to 1978 when the Civica Scuola di Musica, the municipal school of music, with the support of a private institution, set up open courses geared to the restoration of antique musical instruments.
A workshop for stringed instruments was then opened in the old Milanese craftsmen's quarter of the Isola, where in a few square metres a group of students headed by architect Marco Tiella rediscovered a

traditional craft, that of rebuilding old vielles,zithers, lyres, spinets and violas da gamba.
Since their origin, courses have been characterized by a harmonious balance between research and manual work. These course subsequently developed into the Civica Scuola di Liuteria (Municipal Stringed Instruments School), which is presently geared to a professional training approach.
Today the training of stringed instrument makers, builders and restorers of wooden musical instruments is still based on a close relationship, established during the school years, between student and teacher, which unfolds in a workshop and is further enhanced by a store of historical and musical knowledge and technical know-how.
The rediscovery of this ancient craft, using new technologies, by a work-group of teachers working together with cultural institutions, trade associations and experts active in this sector are the School's mainstays.
Courses at Milan's Civica Scuola di Liuteria are subdivided into professional and refresher courses, refresher workshops and non-professional courses for beginners and non-professionals. Every year, nearly 70 students, both Italian and foreign, attend the school.
The library and archives, containing drawings and photographic records, are open to the public. You will also find a collection of the major specialized journals on musical instruments, together with reliefs of original instruments both from various European museums and produced by the school itself.

With its broad selection of instruments, and its instrument reconstructions based on iconographic information, treatises and originals, the Museum can aptly document the history of instruments and their use from the Middle Ages to the Baroque period, through 19th-century modifications, up to the present.
Instruments manufactured for study such as violins, lutes and guitars can be borrowed for up to a year.
Since its foundation, the School has always participated in many different external activities such as exhibitions, meetings and concerts organized in co-operation with prestigious cultural institutions and associations both in Italy and abroad.

STUDY PLAN

POST-DIPLOMA PROFESSIONAL COURSES.

Corso di qualifica per operatore liutario.

a. Section for bowed instruments construction

The standard for bowed instruments is the tradition of the classical art ofmaking bowed instruments, which began in the 16th century, and has continued up to the present day.Over the years, this art has branched off in various directions, often adjusting to sundry historical events, but always preserving its basic uniformity and approach strategies. The school's methodological and artistic approach draws its inspiration from the traditional Lombard school, which has always been the benchmark in the ambit of bowed-instrument manufacturing.. Special focus is on the Milanese school of the 20th century, which constitutes the most readily accessible artistic and cultural reference point.

b. Section for plucked-stringed instruments construction

The section for plucked-stringed instrument construction is geared to the reconstruction of historical plucked-string instruments dating from the early Renaissance to the late Baroque.
Thorough diagnostic and research interventions are carried out directly on instruments belonging to public or private collections. The data collected are compared with musical treatises and the iconography of the period to which a given instrument belongs, thus completing and enhancing analysis and reconstruction procedures.

• Duration: 2 years (800 hours per year)
• First year: 27 hours per week + seminars
• Second year: 28 hours per week + seminars

This course is divided into two sections: bowed and plucked instruments. Most elective subjects, centering on theory, can be taken by all students, whereas workshop lessons are more individually structured starting from the first year level.

• Subjects:
• Instrument construction workshop (bowed and plucked instruments)
• History of musical instruments + How to get to know and use the library
• Musical acoustics Rudiments of chemistry
• Technical design of musical instruments
• Musical theory Instrument practice

"Corso di specializzazione per liutaio"

The course is divided into three sections:

• Makers of bowed stringed instruments
• Makers of plucked stringed instruments
• Restorers of musical instruments
  
  
  
• Duration: 1100 hours First year: 800 hours (28 for week + seminars)
• Second year: 300 hours training.

Subjects:

• Workshop for bowed stringed instruments
• Restoration workshop
• Varnishing workshop
• Musical instrument history
• Workshops on restoration-techniques documentation
• Instrument practice and musical theory
• Plucked instruments laboratory Training

In this period, students carry out assigned tasks and are evaluated according to their skills and aspirations. Besides completing and studying in detail work previously begun, students also attend courses and seminars. Moreover, they are expected to set up and organize a research project on instruments belonging to State and private collections.

Stringed instrument Restoration

The Civica Scuola di Liuteria introduced a stringed-instrument restoration course in it curruculum shortly subsequent to the school's inauguration.
With the present course structure, students can now elect a course of studies which includes stringed-instrument restoration as an integral part of their training.
The Civica Scuola di Liuteria has always been a forerunner in this field, constantly seeking to apply to musical instrument restoration an approach similar to that successfully established in the ambits of the beaux arts and architecture.
In this context, restoration is no longer perceived as geared to repairing musical instruments or to simply restoring their ability to function, but to providing students with the correct manual skills, together with the necessary technological know-how.
Restoring an antique musical instrument combines aspects which are neither necessarily nor exclusively linked to instrument construction. In fact, the various restoration phases hinge upon a series of concepts and expertise, especially as related to the historical and technical aspects of the world of music.

This approach is one which has long be favored by those active in the ambit of art-work restoration.Art restoration, in fact, means interaction among students of various disciplines, brought together by the common need to gather as much information as possible concerning art restoration procedures.

Together with the artistic and historical aspects of restoration, also its technological aspects have beenthe focus of ongoing research and development.
All this has led to the implementation of highly sophisticated restoration techniques and to the definition of a diagnostic approach to this particular discipline. This, of course, also holds true for stringed-instrument restoration, which has been further enhanced by recent diagnostic breakthroughs in this field, one in which the Civica Scuola di Liuteria has played a pioneer role.
In the late seventies, the School began experimenting with X-ray techniques aimed at examining the inner characteristics of musical instruments. As a result, in 1985 a course on Techniques for Restoration Documentation and Diagnostics was introduced as an integral part of the two-year Lute-maker and Restorer qualification program.
The training acquired in this course is designed as a valuable supplement to workshop activities. The course itself focuses on both applying diagnostic techniques as a routine approach prior to restoration proper, and also on testing new techniques and their actual implementation, often in conjunction with other organizations and institutions.
The validity of this approach is borne out by the fact that teachers and former students of the Scuola di Liuteria are frequently called upon to contribute their expertise to significant initiatives involving restoration, research and/or cataloguing at musical instrument museums and foundations.

SPECIAL COURSES

Refresher seminars

The School organizes a series of short refresher seminars geared to those who are already active in this field, in order to meet the special needs often felt by former students who have subsequently had to address specificic work demands.
These seminars focus on such courses as: "Repair and maintenance of stringed instruments" and "Safety and preservation in craft workshops".

How to reach the school

By underground: Line 3 (Yellow), direction San Donato.

Get off at "Crocetta" station, then take No. 24 tram in thedirection of Ripamonti. Get off in Via Noto.

By tram: From Duomo take tram no. 24 in the direction of Ripamonti until you reach Via Noto.

By bus: Lines 90 or 91 as far as Viale Isonzo, corner of Via Ripamonti, then tram no. 24 as far as Via Noto

How to enrol

PROFESSIONAL COURSES

Duration of courses Lessons are from mid September to the end of June.

How to gain course admittance

Between January and May prospective students should send a detailed curriculum vitae and a cover letter indicating their wish to enrol in lute-making courses, and possibly specifying whether they plan to attend either the "bow" or "pluck" section.
After having received and evaluated their curricula, the school will set up an interview with candidates, during which the didactic coordinator will explain how the school operates. Depending on classroom availability, the school nevertheless reserves the option to enrol students in courses other than those specifically requested.
Enrolment is open to students aged 18 to 32, and who already have a high school diploma or O levels. Foreign students are expected to have a good knowledge of the Italian language.

Admission interview

Starting from mid June up to the end of the month, all candidates will be convened for a screening interview, focusing on information contained in their curricula and on any previous experience.
In case of extra classroom availability, another screening session will be scheduled in early September.

Admission requirements

In order to attend the specialization course (Corso di Specializzazione per Liutaio), candidates must have a certificate qualifying them as Operatore Liutario, or a diploma duly issued by a lute-making school (diplomas issued by schools abroad are also accepted) or proven experience in this field.

Class attendance

The course load is 28 lesson hours per week, and attendance is obligatory Monday through Friday.
Upon successful completion of their course work, students are awarded a "Professional Qualification Certificate".

For further information contact the Office of the Secretary Monday through Friday from
9 a.m. to 2 p.m., or write to the following address:
Civica Scuola di Liuteria
Via Noto 4 - 20141 Milano
Tel: +39 0257409945 Fax: +39 0257402838
E-Mail: info@civicascuoladiliuteria.it
E-Mail: segreteria.liuteria@rcm.inet.it

Download the enrolment form