Awards

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We are truly happy to have gained the following Awards within the last few years

Violin Society of America

2022 Gold Medal for tone for Quartet
2022 Certificate for Artisanship for Quartet
2022 Silver Medal for Artisanship for Cello
2022 Certificate of Artisanship for Viola
2022 Certificate of Artisanship for Violin
2018 Silver Medal for Tone for Quartet

Aleksander Gebert

"For nearly five years now, I have had the great fortune and privilege of playing a cello built by Julia Jostes and Simon Eberl, which has accompanied me ever since in my daily work as a musician.

From the very beginning, this instrument possessed an extraordinary presence, great resonance, and a warm, richly colored tone that immediately appealed to me. What is particularly remarkable to me, however, is the instrument’s development over the years: the qualities that were evident from the start have continually deepened and refined, and the richness of tone as well as the sustain have continued to grow.

In my artistic work, this cello has become an essential source of inspiration. Its tonal diversity, responsive sensitivity, and wide expressive range allow for musical nuance at the highest level. Time and again, I feel that the instrument leads me to new tonal and musical possibilities and has significantly enriched my playing. For me, these qualities are equally evident in chamber music and in the solo repertoire, in solo works as well as in teaching, where the instrument proves itself time and again in very different musical contexts. At the same time, the instrument is characterized by exceptional craftsmanship. The combination of precise craftsmanship, a clear vision of sound, and a keen artistic sensibility is evident in every detail. For me, this cello is not only an outstanding instrument for performance, but in a sense, a mature work of art."

Aleksander Gebert — Professor für Violoncello an der Hochschule für Musik Detmold, sowie Cellist in zahlreichen Ensembles mit diversen CD-Einspielungen

Nicholas Burkel

"I’ve had the pleasure to know several of Simon and Julia’s Celli and I currenly play a new Goffriller Model as my main instrument as Cellist in the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra. The instruments versatility allows me to rely completely on it in all situations, for orchestral playing, as a quartet cello and as well it still has the clarity, depth and power needed as a solo instrument. On top of this, it is extremely beautifully made, and is a companion who gives me the player the opportunity to find new colours, sounds and ideas each time I come to the instrument."

Nicholas Burkel — Trondheim Symphony Orchestra

Jasper de Boor

"I´ve had the pleasure, for the past two years, of playing on a wonderful Jostes & Eberl viola. Out of all the violas I have tried in my life, this one really stands out for its versatility, for how easy it is to express myself and feel like my voice comes through clearly, and of course for the sound – possessing all the warm/rich bass, clear and resonant core sound, vibrant/brilliant upper register etc. I was really fortunate to find this amazing viola around 2.5 years ago, and am super excited to keep playing on it for the foreseeable future."

Jasper de Boor — Bratschist des Poiesis Quartetts aus den USA, das 2025 den renommierten BANF-Streichquartettwettbewerb sowie den Preis der New York Times für die beste klassische Darbietung des Jahres 2025 gewann und den Cleveland Quartet Award in 2026 erhalten hat.

poiesisquartet.com

Julia Jostes

geboren 1983, groß geworden im Frankfurter Raum und Ellwangen an der Jagst. Entdeckung des Geigenbaus über das Erlernen des Cellospiels und durch ein Praktikum beim Geigenbauer Peter Pots, S´Hertogenbosch, Niederlande. Ausbildung zur Geigenbauerin an der Geigenbauschule Mittenwald, 2005 abgeschlossen mit der Gesellenprüfung. Praktikum bei Markus Klimke, Angers. 2006 Anstellung bei Franz Übelhör in Linz, Österreich, beschäftigt mit Restaurierung und Neubau von Streichinstrumenten. 2008 Umzug nach Hamburg und langjährige, prägende Mitarbeit in der Geigenbauwerkstatt Anneke Degen. Seit 2016 selbstständig mit Simon Eberl.

2019 Teilnahme an dem renommierten Geigenbau Workshop in Oberlin, Ohio USA.

Gemeinsam mit Simon mehrfache Gastteilnahme an Ausstellungen der Gruppe Klanggestalten und diverse Erfolge beim Geigenbauwettbewerb der VSA (Violin Society of America).

Simon Eberl

born in 1981 in Frankfurt a.M., grown up in the surrounding region and later in Lengerich near the Teutoburg Forest. First violin lessons at the age of 5 and later, after several internships with the violinmaker Yvon Calvez situated in Münster, Westfalen, he found his passion for the craft of violinmaking. Trained in Mittenwald he finished the school with his exam in 2007. Employed at Schellong & Osann, Hamburg with a focus on the restoration of bows and stringed instruments. From 2012 he works as an assistant for Ragnar Hayn in Berlin with an intense focus on new making.

Self employed with his wife Julia Jostes since 2016 in Lübeck.

Since 2017 multiple participation in the renowned violinmaking workshops in Oberlin, Ohio, USA.

Since 2022 board member of the Violinmaking Workshop e.V. Brandenburg/Havel Together with Julia participant in exhibitions of the group Klanggestalten and various awards at the violinmaking competition of the VSA (Violin Society of America)

We want to encourage you to perform music with instruments that will be inspiring in any way for years to come: be it aesthetically, technically or tonally.

A profound understanding for the sound of an instrument with the personal needs and professional requirements of the musician are on an equal footing with our claim to manufacture new-build instruments of the highest quality.

One key to truly excellent sounding instruments is the quality of the wood a luthier's workshop can build upon. That is why we select all the woods used in the process of our making with special care. For the tops we take spruce of the highest quality from northern Italy and flamed maple from Eastern Europe. For the surfaces of our instruments we use only oil and resin based varnishes which is entirely made by ourselves.

Instruments leaving our workshop are unique examples of an elaborate process, handcrafted with a personal signature.

Most contemporary violin makers and musicians agree that the instruments of the Italian masters of the 17th and 18th century, and in particular the works of Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù and Antonio Stradivari, can hardly be surpassed in quality. In our opinion this is precisely where the aspiration of any modern maker of stringed instruments should originate from, in an attempt to connect historical knowledge and competence with the requirements and opportunities of the present.

This is why we are constantly studying the forms and proportions of the instruments of our predecessors, in all their details and many facets. Learning from these almost inexhaustible resources we are creating excelent new instruments, unique in terms of sound and aesthetics and, of course, in the best tradition of craftsmanship.

We'd love to invite you to meet us in our studio!

Workshops and excibitions

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The constant exchange with colleagues from all over the world has become a crucial and most valuable part of our work.

Since several years we are taking part in different workshops and exhibitions around Europe and Northern America. The exchange with colleaugues and friends as well as the examination of unique instruments have become an elemental part of our work. Since 2022 we are therefore co-organisators of the International Violinmaking Workshop in Brandenburg together with Almuth and Ian McWilliams and Andreas Hampel

Oberlin Violinmaking Workshop (2017, 2019, 2022)
Acoustic Workshop in Le Mans with Claudia Fritz and George Stoppani
International Violinmaking Workshop in Brandenburg (2021, 2022, 2023)
Klanggestalten exhibitions (2019, 2022)
Exhibition during the International Chambermusic Campus in Weikersheim

What else?

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The Leonkoro Quartet plays the third movement of Mozarts String Quartet No. 14 in G-Minor, K.387 with our instruments from the VSA competition in 2022.