Arty Iskandarian, one of the best luthiers in the world. (Credit: Rayanne Tawil/L'Orient Today)
In a hidden atelier in Kaslik, Lebanon, a small sign reads Edward Iskandarian, a jewelry shop founded by Arty Iskandarian’s father. Past the glass counters, Arty, 53 standing in the shadows, led the way down several flights of stairs into an unseen workshop no larger than 10 square meters. On an oak table lay five violins.They look identical at first glance, but with a jeweler’s eye and a musician’s ear, Arty began to demonstrate them. He takes one instrument, holds it up to the light, points to the line of the bridge, the tone of the varnish, the heart in the wood. “For the ordinary eye, you can’t tell them apart,” he says. But to him, each one is unique.Though he calls violin-making a hobby, Arty has been recognized internationally. In 2022, he was voted among the top 50 violin makers in the world. “I never imagined this. I am not in...
In a hidden atelier in Kaslik, Lebanon, a small sign reads Edward Iskandarian, a jewelry shop founded by Arty Iskandarian’s father. Past the glass counters, Arty, 53 standing in the shadows, led the way down several flights of stairs into an unseen workshop no larger than 10 square meters. On an oak table lay five violins.They look identical at first glance, but with a jeweler’s eye and a musician’s ear, Arty began to demonstrate them. He takes one instrument, holds it up to the light, points to the line of the bridge, the tone of the varnish, the heart in the wood. “For the ordinary eye, you can’t tell them apart,” he says. But to him, each one is unique.Though he calls violin-making a hobby, Arty has been recognized internationally. In 2022, he was voted among the top 50 violin makers in the world. “I never imagined this....
