A Violin by Peter Westerlund

This violin by Peter Westerlund, made in Norberg in 2007, represents the appeal of contemporary Scandinavian making at its most persuasive: disciplined craftsmanship, modern reliability, and a tonal concept that has been tested in the real world rather than merely described.

Westerlund is perhaps best known internationally for the results of a widely discussed blind test in Stockholm (March 18, 2006), organized by the Swedish String Teachers Association in cooperation with SVSF. In that test, his participating violin was judged by 55 jury members to be the instrument with the best sound, outscoring not only other newly made instruments but also three celebrated old violins—an Antonio Stradivari (1709), a G. B. Guadagnini (1772), and a Josef Gagliano (1766). The event received notable media attention, including coverage in The Strad and other outlets.

Offered here in mint condition, this 2007 Westerlund violin retains an uncommon level of freshness and integrity. For the connoisseur, mint condition preserves the visual and material coherence of the maker’s work; for the player, it signals careful stewardship and minimizes the compromises that often accompany older instruments.

In today’s market, the most highly desirable contemporary violins tend to share a few traits: clear authorship, structural confidence, and a sound that can hold its own in demanding company. This Westerlund violin speaks directly to that standard—an instrument with modern accountability and a track record that challenges the easy myths about what “must” be old to be great.