Apostol & Ivan Kaloferov

Luthier

Ivo Hadjimishev©Victor Troyanov

The music maker

Apostol and Ivan create and restore violins
Their instruments stand out for their artistic features
They believe that the power of music lives through eternity

The tradition of violin making is in the genes of the Kaloferov family. At the beginning of the 20th century, their ancestor Ivan Kaloferov established the Bulgarian school of violin making. Today, his descendants Apostol Kaloferov and his son Ivan create instruments in Bulgaria for musicians all over the world. Apostol Kaloferov specialised as a luthier in France after gaining a woodcarving diploma. He carried on his father's legacy by winning awards at important international competitions, gaining international recognition for his family name. Ivan, the youngest luthier of the Kaloferov family, now in his 40s says: “I'm proud to have been born into a family with traditions and to have been able to study at the Antonio Stradivari Institute in Cremona, Italy”.

Interview

Ivo Hadjimishev©Victor Troyanov

Ivo Hadjimishev©Victor Troyanov

What is your earliest memory of making violins?: Apostol: I must have been 4 or 5 years old, when my father won the first luthier competition in Bulgaria. At the final concert the internationally renowned violin player Nedyalka Simeonova played my father’s violin and this was the moment when I started dreaming of becoming a luthier myself.
Is it a challenge to carry forward a family legacy?: Ivan: I feel challenged by the responsibility I carry. The times are different, but I prefer to rely on the knowledge and attitude of my grandfather and my father, in order to be of service to music.
How do you work as a team of father and son?: Apostol: I have always been a fortunate son and now I’m lucky, that my own son has inherited the family tradition, our collective experience, knowledge and professional secrets. All of these continue to develop in his craft.
Which wood do you use for your instruments?: Ivan: The instruments are made of maple and spruce. By a happy coincidence some of the best wood comes from the Balkans. The most important for the material is that it has grown at high altitude, in a dense forest. Well dried wood is a prerequisite for good acoustics.

Apostol & Ivan Kaloferov are expert artisans: they began their career in 2000 and they started teaching in 2022