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Source: Samuel Zygmuntowicz

Samuel Zygmuntowicz (born 1956) is a contemporary luthier and is widely regarded as one of the finest violin makers of his generation. He began his instrument making training at age 13, and studied making and restoration under Peter Prier, Carl Becker and René Morel. Since 1985 he has been based in Brooklyn, New York. His early work demonstrates expert skill as a copyist of classic instruments. Later work includes personal models informed by intensive advanced research. Findings from this research have been published in numerous print and digital media. Zygmuntowicz is an active fiddler, playing with several folk music groups. His playing can be heard on the recordings Grand Picnic, and Jump When the Trumpets Blow.
Zygmuntowicz was born in Philadelphia to Jewish Holocaust survivors from Poland. He is a graduate of the Violin Making School of America in Salt Lake City (1976–80) during which time he also worked for Carl Becker. In 1980, a Becker-style Stradivari violin copy made by Zygmuntowicz won two gold medals - for violin workmanship and tone - at the Violin Society of America Competition. The same year, Zygmuntowicz began five years of additional training in the restoration workshop of Jacques Français Rare Violins, Inc. and René A. Morel. Isaac Stern owned two Zygmuntowicz violins. After Stern died in 2001, both violins were sold at a Tarisio auction in 2003, each violin surpassing the previous record for the highest price paid for a string instrument by a living maker at auction, until the record was broken in October 2013.
His clients include Leila Josefowicz, Yo-Yo Ma, David Finckel, Cho-Liang Lin, Maxim Vengerov, Joshua Bell, Dylana Jenson, Matthew Lipman and the Emerson String Quartet. In their 2008 recording of Bach fugues, the Emerson String Quartet all played Zygmuntowicz instruments. The Violinmaker, a book written by John Marchese, chronicles the making of a violin for Emerson String Quartet violinist Eugene Drucker.