Marcello Villa

Marcello Villa (b. 1965) is a renowned Italian luthier and violin-maker from Monza, founder and artistic director of MV Cremona label (since 1999). He established a workshop in Cremona with his brother Vittorio in 1986. They build violins, violas, cellos, and bowed baroque instruments, primarily after Antonio Stradivari, Guarneri Del Gesu, and other "grand Amati" builders. Marcello's specialty is in violins with inlaid decoration and he's been producing exquisitely decorated violins following some of the most iconic inlaid Stradivarius, including c.1709 'Greffuhle' and c.1679 'Hellier' violins, and two instruments (the 1687 'Ole Bull' violin and a viola) from so-called '[I]Axelrod Quartet—a collection that Herbert R. Axelrod donated to Smithsonian Institution in 1997. (Occasionally loaned and played, typically by American String Quartet).