Edward Furse

Welsh National Opera cellist

‘When I first borrowed one of Robin’s cellos, I realised that it suited me better than the 18th century Betts cello I had been playing. The cello I eventually commissioned and bought feels young and dynamic. I can enjoy it as a blank canvas, and there’s a real joy and freedom in that.

In sound terms, I particularly enjoy the darker end of a cello’s possibilities. I had great conversations with Robin about what I wanted when we were making the cello, and I had the chance to experiment with both maple and willow backs. The one-piece willow back that I ultimately chose is absolutely beautiful, and I think it also contributes to that darker resonance I was looking for.

After about six months with the cello, Robin kindly made me a new French bridge, as an alternative to the initial Belgian one. This also has a darker quality, and because Robin’s instrument resonates and carries so well, I can enjoy these mellower colours without worrying about a lack of clarity or sound production.

For the opera scores I play with Welsh National Opera, such as our current production of Puccini’s Il Trittico, it helps to have an instrument that speaks easily and with clean articulation, so that our bass lines can be heard by the singers. Then there are melodic moments when you really come out of the texture and sing. I love the sound of Robin’s cello in these moments, as I attempt to contribute to our sound in a full way that blends with my colleagues.

While some cellos have a brighter and more strident A-string sound, I feel that the work we’ve done to this instrument means that when you reach up to the A-string, the sound is comparable to the richness of the bass. That even balance across the instrument makes it easier to focus on enjoying whatever it is that I’m playing.

It’s a lovely experience when people enjoy the sound of my cello and ask what it is, only to be surprised and interested to find out that it’s a modern instrument! Robin kindly worked with me on the antiquing so that there is just enough that it looks as though it could be a much older cello, but with enough room for me and future owners to leave our own marks on it.

I imagine this cello being played for hundreds of years and I like being at the start of its journey. I have started to think about trying to capture a record of its life in a little book, what’s happened to it and where it’s been played, that at some point I can pass on.’

Edward Furse plays a copy of the Marquis de Corberon Stradivari made by Robin Aitchison in 2020.

Urška Horvat

Award-winning soloist and chamber musician

‘When the instrument is a baby, you have to discover it from the very start. I feel like I know this cello inside and out, literally, and with this instrument my voice is completely my own.

When we first started working together, Robin quickly understood what kind of player I am, and the sound I wanted. I was able to adapt the sound through the system of patches Robin uses to change the response, sound, brightness, depth of colours, and projection. At the start I did not know if it would be able to reach that quality that old instruments have, but I quickly did.

The Vuillaume I played before is a 200 year old instrument and already had an established sound. I was very fortunate to have it but I did not get the same connection and build the same relationship as I have now with Robin’s cello. This cello is mine! We all want an instrument that we can trust. Robin’s cello does this and gives me freedom.

I love the sound world of Brahms. It requires boldness, richness, and depth in the sound, and it was one of the reasons why I picked the cello. Now, I find the times when I can go quiet are perhaps even more special. I recently played Tchaikovsky’s Variations with a chamber orchestra, and in one of the slow, melancholic moments I allowed myself to go super, super quiet. I was still able to project and I felt I could reach the last person in the hall.

After seven years, the cello still surprises me with different colours and sounds. Often this can happen on stage during a performance, when I perform in different acoustics, but also playing with different colleagues who offer their sound, colours, and energy. This then helps me to shape new colours from the instrument.

Connection and expression is what I aim for every time I am on stage, and I want this cello’s legacy to be just that – for people to feel the emotion and expression that I want to convey. I do some outreach work with a very dear friend of mine who also plays one of Robin’s cellos, playing to elderly people and with children that don’t have easy access to music. Creating a connection through music is so important and we get amazing reactions.’

Urška Horvat plays a copy of the Pergamenschikow Montagnana cello made by Robin Aitchison in 2019.

To see a video of Urška playing her Montagnana copy, visit the Video Gallery.

Abel Selaocoe

Soloist, singer, composer

‘The idea of the cello for me is completely genreless. I want the cello, and especially this cello – Robin’s Montagnana model made in 2020 – to walk into the different crevices of different cultures.

My favourite thing to do with this cello is to make flutey sounds on the low end without pressing too much with the bow, almost Sul Tasto but extreme, so it just floats and feels like I’m playing a flute. The second is harmonics, pulling the string to bend the pitch, and the third is pizzicato – I can play with a really long decay like a bass thanks to the action on the fingerboard.

Through Robin I have developed my relationship with set-up. When I needed an extremely clean sound for the Sollima concerto at my BBC Proms performance in 2021, Robin drove to Wales to set up my cello before rehearsals. It made me realise how much I can take advantage of what I want for any concert. He gave me a gauge to judge the length between the fingerboard and the bridge, so when I need a bright sound I move the bridge away a bit!

Often I sit in the practice room and try not to sound like the cello. I have been trying out how to sound like some African stringed instruments, taking that language straight onto the cello and trying to imitate their sound as much as I can. I am also exploring playing the cello with different stick objects instead of the bow, and have been putting paper clips on the string to create overtones. The latest new sound I have been exploring is circular bowing inspired by violin playing from Lesotho. I also like putting the instrument in other people’s hands to see what it does. This reaps so many rewards.

When I sing and play the cello I often want people to wonder which is which. The sounds are so close. I am forever trying to copy the sound of the cello, then when I go deeper into the throat singing world I benefit from the strength and brightness of the cello’s bottom end. This cello has a real zing at the bottom end that helps me to judge quickly where I am with my voice.

I am on a great journey with this cello to find as many sounds as I can. Its power made me finally feel very comfortable playing in loud non-classical settings. I’m still trying to play as soft as I can, and there are other sounds I have only just reached.

Abel Selaocoe plays a copy of the Pergamenschikow Montagnana cello made by Robin Aitchison in 2020.

To see a video of Abel playing his Montagnana copy, visit the Video Gallery.

Mikhail Nemtsov 

Principal cello Frankfurt Opera and Museumsorchestra and Pierre Fournier award winner 2011

For me the cello is a living thing, I really think it has a soul. I want this cello to express my life experiences and the emotional message I have for my audiences, to move them, maybe somehow affect them positively and allow them to reminisce. 

When you play music of a certain character, I think consciously and subconsciously you access your life and own emotional understanding. So in this way you combine that self knowledge and musical knowledge to guide your interpretation using varied color range, vibrato type and the contact point of the bow on the string. 

Robin’s cello is special because it has such a great range of sound possibilities and wonderful quality. Lots of people comment on how vibrantly the cello sings and carries in the hall.

Recently I have been exploring a sonorous register closer to the bridge where you can truly feel the depth and rich overtones. I have been doing this for the most passionate cello solo in the second Act of Shostakovich’s Lady Macbeth, finding the most natural sonority and resonance without choking or forcing the sound to translate the character’s pain and emotional suffering. 

I haven’t done anything too dramatic with the set up since the early work with Robin, because, I think in general, the cello was set up very well. Obviously I miss him here and I wish I could come to England more! However, the cello just has a really good feel when you try to explore different resistance possibilities and search for different timbres.

People often think it must be an old instrument, you know, because they say old cellos have a special quality in their voice and new instruments sometimes lack this. There is no doubt that Robin’s has this kind of old regal quality to it, I think partly thanks to the wood, most importantly how it was made but really it’s just Robin. He truly creates the most gorgeous instruments.

Getting to know the cello these past eight years has been a very natural, exciting and rewarding process. The more years we spend together, the more the different timbres, sounds and colours I am able to create and explore.

Mikhail Nemstov plays a copy of a 1726 Stradivari Marquis de Corberon cello made by Robin Aitchison in 2016.
To see a video of Misha playing his Stradivari copy, visit the Video Gallery.

Jon Lewis

Principal cello Charlotte Symphony Orchestra and Central City Opera

I delayed searching for a better instrument for a very long time, despite being nudged and advised for many, many years that I should do so. After reluctantly going to a number of shops, I realized that the available selection of modern and historical instruments was very disappointing.

A older colleague in my orchestra raved about a Guadagnini model cello she owned – a cello made by Robin in the early 2000s – and offered to let me try it. It was instantly apparent that the instrument hit all the marks I was looking for: depth of color, immediate responsiveness, with flexibility, and ample sound projection. This instrument really stood out from everything else I’d had the opportunity to try to that point.

I contacted Robin and Sarah, who graciously invited me to Ely meet them and try some instruments as examples of what Robin could do. And while I was impressed with Robin’s instruments, what really made me want to work with Robin his techniques of adjusting the tonal qualities and response of his instruments through his use of “patches” – adjustable, small pieces of wood glued at strategic points on the inside of the instrument to mimic repairs of damage on older instruments, thus altering the tonal response of the instrument. This ability to manipulate and fine-tune the qualities of the instrument was light-years beyond what any other maker was offering.

Truthfully, it was scary not knowing what instrument would be created on the other end of the commission, but Robin made the experience as comforting as it could be by sending updates and consulting me through the process. Without a doubt, I’m extremely glad I went through the commission process to get an instrument which is completely customized to my playing. I also felt a bit like a kid in a candy store when Robin offered me all these options, including specifying the degree of antiquing and the overall appearance, not to mention taking part in tonal adjustments a few months before collection.

I’m confident that I was way more involved than most customers ever would be, in terms of the customisations which Robin made for me.  Robin also gave me the option of coming several months prior to the completion of the instrument to do the tonal adjusting with him. (It is an opportunity that I think he offers to all of his clients, but most do not accept). It was an incredible experience. And, I’m so grateful for his time as we spent an intense two days working together putting on the temporary tonal patches, taking them off, and assessing the effects. It was so fun to be able to see and be involved in that process, and to make those decisions about what the cello would ultimately sound like. I don’t know of any other luthier who would invest so much time on a commission. We were also fortunate to arrange a small amount of time in a larger church to test some of the tonal work in a large space. This work was indispensable as some of the decisions we had made to that point about the tonal qualities of the instrument changed when we got in the large space.

A few months later I collected the cello and took it to my luthier, Jerry Pasewicz who I’ve worked with for many years and I’m fortunate to have nearby. He took one look at Robin’s cello and said it was made exactly the way he wanted, and he helped me get the instrument adjusted optimally for the climate in North Carolina (US). Since then, it’s been great – spectacular to play, extremely responsive, huge sound, and very stable; even when there are big humidity changes, there’s so much range, available to me both in terms of colour and expression.

I’m thrilled with how the instrument sounds. I’ve gotten nothing but compliments from colleagues regarding the instrument; everyone has said how great it sounds in orchestral solos. I’m so glad that I was able to go through the commission process rather than buy a cello off the shelf, as I never would have been able to find an instrument that plays as well and sounds as good as the cello Robin made for me. It’s an investment on all levels, to commission an instrument, but it’s really worth it.

Jon Lewis plays a copy of the 1726 Marquis de Corberon Stradivari cello with a maple back, made for him by Robin Aitchison in 2023. 

Stephen Orton

Principal cello Academy of St Martin in the Fields 1985-2020
Cellist of the Chilingirian Quartet 

‘‘By the time I met Robin in 2008 I had been unhappy with my own instrument for some years and had been borrowing a series of distinguished cellos including a Vuillaume. I had been very impressed by my colleague John Heley’s David Rubio cello which Robin had recently worked on, so at John’s suggestion I came to see Robin to try to get my own cello working better. I also decided to try some cellos and played about five instruments during my first visit to Robin’s workshop, including a Montagnana copy by Robin which was incredibly free in its response and offered so much that I was looking for in an instrument. I was principal cellist with the Academy of St Martin’s in the Fields at the time and cellist with the Chilingirian Quartet. As a principal cellist you need to make a big sound on the A string and you also need a very good bass; I found that Robin’s Montagnana copy had all of these qualities so I took it away to try it. After a few weeks, during which time Robin fitted a different bridge to free the response and I found my ideal combination of strings, I decided to buy it.

I have played Robin’s cello ever since and I love it. I have taken it on many tours to hot and dry climates and I feel very confident wherever I am and always enjoy playing it. Being a new instrument it is not fragile but I look after it just as carefully as if it was a delicate antique; it has a seat next to me on the plane and very rarely does it go out of my sight on tour unless it’s in a heavy flight case and being looked after by experienced tour crew.

I didn’t really expect to find a contemporary instrument that I could live with so happily and feel comfortable with in all situations. Some people might say you need several different instruments for different circumstances but I find this cello works and responds to my needs in all situations, whether in a big orchestral solo or playing really softly. I think the cello has developed during the time I’ve played it; there has been a lot to explore in the cello. What I really love is the freedom the cello gives me. My colleagues all like the instrument and no-one is saying, ‘Steve can you play louder here?’ I am really very happy with it.’

Stephen Orton plays a copy of a c.1740 Montagnana cello made by Robin Aitchison in 2001.  To see a video of Stephen Orton playing his Montagnana copy, visit the Video Gallery.

Samara Ginsberg

Freelance cellist

‘For years, I struggled with a cello that was too big for me and finally realised that I needed a smaller instrument. I managed to borrow one of Robin’s Guadagnini copies for an extended period and the cello did everything I asked it to, right from the start. It made me a better cellist, so I decided to commission my own copy. It’s given my career a real boost, partly because I have a better cello which is the right size for me and also because of the confidence that brings.’

Samara Ginsberg plays a copy of a c.1755 Milan period Guadagnini cello made by Robin Aitchison in 2016.

To see a video of Samara Ginsberg playing her Guadagnini copy, visit the Video Gallery.

Matthew Sharp

Cello soloist and baritone

‘When I heard that Robin had made a copy of the Montagnana which once belonged to my teacher Boris Pergamenschikow, I asked to try it. We met back stage at King’s Place and the cello felt like a rocket launcher! This cello occupies a frequency which can always be heard and allows me to channel my musical intentions in a focussed, fabulous, sensual way. I have never had so many people coming back stage after a performance and saying, ‘What is that cello you play?’ – even though I’ve performed on many exceptional Italian instruments in the past.’

Matthew Sharp plays a copy of the c.1735 Pergamenschikow Montagnana cello made by Robin Aitchison in 2013.

To see a video of Matthew Sharp playing his Montagnana copy, visit the Video Gallery.

Christopher Murray

Heath Quartet cellist

I joined the Heath Quartet in my postgrad year.  It’s amazing we have been together that long!  When performing we constantly take it in turns to lead which makes for a very dynamic style.  We also take on different roles depending on the circumstances: one of us might help calm the others’ nerves, or another might step in to give the performance more drive if they feel that’s needed.

I wasn’t particularly looking for another cello but in 2019 I saw that one of Robin’s Strad copies was for sale and decided to try it out of curiosity.  It was such an immediate connection.  Just playing the A string to tune it up I thought, OK this is going to be interesting.  I was immediately struck by how freely it plays – you don’t have to put any effort into making it resonate.  It’s a big sounding cello and the higher you go up, the more turbo charged it gets, which is great for being heard in solos.  I took the cello out on approval for a few weeks, during which the quartet was performing at the Wigmore so I was able to play it in the hall and asked our violist Gary to make a quick recording to see how it came across in a big acoustic.  This cello has so much cushion and bass that it helps the quartet to relax as they sense it supporting them.  They don’t have to strain to hear it, it’s there surrounding everyone.  The sound stays so sweet through all the registers and it’s never strained or harsh up the A string – I remember Gary saying it stays really beautiful in the higher registers and never loses that sweetness.  It’s a noble, dignified, clear sound with depth behind it, sounding like a much older instrument than it is.

The cello was 5 years old when I bought it, so it had already done a lot of settling down.   Since becoming its new owner, I haven’t noticed changes from day to day but every so often I notice a new quality on a particular note or a resonance – it has definitely become richer over time.  The Strad model has a multi-dimensional, sophisticated quality to the sound, and there’s more of that in this cello now than when I bought it.  It seems even more alive.

As a player the cello has helped me with certain aspects of my playing, especially achieving a fast articulation along with a resonance that really carries.  It’s so effortless that you can almost forget about the instrument, leave the technical side behind and concentrate on what’s happening in the piece – which frees my mind to focus more than ever on the music and on my colleagues around me.

The cello has proved very stable and doesn’t seem to react to changes of temperature or humidity. It is very sensitive to the tiniest change in the setup and if you have a young instrument, I think it’s very important to keep it in best condition and to keep the set up well-adjusted because it is developing all the time.  If it’s slightly out of synch I know it won’t get the chance to develop in the right way, so I try to see Robin every six months or so, to keep it healthy and playing at its best.

Chris Murray plays a copy of a 1726 Stradivari Marquis de Corberon cello made by Robin Aitchison in 2014. 

www.christophermurraycellist.co.uk  www.heathquartet.com

To see a video of Chris Murray playing his Stradivari copy, visit the Video Gallery.

Yvonne-Marie Parsons

Freelance cellist

‘I was considering a mortgage for a better cello but it was hard to find a decent instrument even for £100,000.  When Robin gave me one of his Guadagnini copies to try, I sat in the music room for about three hours and couldn’t put it down, it was absolutely amazing, so I decided to commission my own Guadagnini copy. The day after I collected him (he’s called Symba) I took him on tour and I’ve been playing him non-stop ever since. He’ll be six years old this July and he sounds wonderful.’

Yvonne-Marie Parsons plays a copy of a c.1755 Milan period Guadagnini cello made by Robin Aitchison in 2012.

Josh Mountford

Freelance cellist

‘The Montagnana copy felt natural right from the start and sounds the way I’ve always imagined a cello should sound. The first time I tried it I was shocked it could fill the whole room with so little effort. Even its pizzicato can fill a hall. The cello fits well in every context; playing a sonata it’s never overpowered by a grand piano and the sound quality is always there, even at pianissimo when I’m playing a Brahms sextet. It was a huge bonus to have the cello in time for my conservatoire auditions; I felt more confident each time, knowing I had such a good instrument.’

Josh Mountford plays a copy of the c.1735 Pergamenschikow Montagnana cello made by Robin Aitchison in 2017. 

Helena Švigelj

Freelance cellist and cello teacher

‘When I was searching for cello, I became quite serious about buying a W E Hill, until I tried a Montagnana copy by Robin. What I immediately enjoyed was the speed of response, and a feeling that I could shape the sound as I liked, without any major adjustment on my part. That is when I realised that this was the cello I needed. I’m so happy that I took this path.

My cello and I have both evolved together since it was finished in 2021 and I have got to know it very well, but I still believe there are no limits to what I will discover in this instrument as time goes by.  I love the fact that I’m always finding more in the cello as each season passes, and with every piece of repertoire I play.  It feels limitless.

The cello has a strong voice, and the benefit is that I can always be heard in a large hall, and in a piano trio or any other chamber music setting. Audience members describe the sound as organic and beautiful.  Recently in performances I experienced moments of utter joy, where I was able to simply express the colours and create the atmospheres I wanted in that moment. It’s very rewarding.

As a student I was lucky to have the use of a Vuillaume cello, which was wonderful, but because of its age, I was always worried that an old crack or a seam would open up and I’d have to take it to a luthier, which meant a big portion of day without practice. Yikes! Now I love the feeling of peace and security in having a cello which I can rely on, and which belongs to me.

Through the whole commission process and during the last two years since the cello was completed, Robin and Sarah have been there to support me, which has made my path with this modern instrument totally seamless. They are very approachable, always very happy to discuss how the cello is developing, and to explain and resolve any difficulties. I really appreciate Robin’s understanding of what I’m looking for in my sound, and I know that Robin will always be happy to adjust the cello for me if I feel it’s needed. Above all, Robin has taught me a lot about cello set up and I learned there is a lot that I can simply do myself!

Getting a modern, new cello comes with lots of uncertainties and questions such as: have I made the right decision? Will it develop the way I would like? What if it doesn’t? What if…? But now looking back, I am so glad I went on this path, and would encourage anyone who is thinking about buying a modern cello to go for it – and to go and play for Robin. He will know which model to suggest and how to make a cello that is suitable for you as a musician.’

Helena Švigelj plays a copy of the Pergamenschikow Montagnana c.1735 made by Robin Aitchison in 2021.

www.helenasvigelj.com

Oliver Mansfield

Freelance cellist and cello teacher

‘The Stradivari Marquis de Corberon copy by Robin is one of the best investments I have made. You get a cello that is ideal for a freelance musician who is playing in an orchestra one week, a chamber group the next and then performing a solo recital. It has a beautiful sonorous sound, which can blend when needed or project with power for those solo moments. Robin and Sarah are brilliant at giving you the time explore the wonders they have to offer. Their fascination with getting the smallest details perfect help you feel you are in safe hands. Feeling like you are part of a very special cello community is an added bonus as well. ‘

Oliver Mansfield plays a copy of a 1726 Stradivari Marquis de Corberon cello made by Robin Aitchison in 2007.

For more feedback from cello owners, see below.

‘I had been searching for a cello within my price range for a long time. I tried many new and antique cellos, including one being sold by Robin Aitchison, but never found anything that I had wanted to keep. I had already owned a contemporary instrument and was happy to consider all options, especially given the rather poor selection of old instruments available for my budget. I tried all the instruments at the BVMA fairs over several years, and although finding some very interesting instruments I never felt so compelled by them that I could not return them after a trial.  I had visited Robin to improve the setup of my previous instrument, and had been very impressed with his attention to detail and knowledge of how my requirements translated into physical changes in particularly sound-post and string choice. When I tried Robin’s Strad copy I really enjoyed the nature of its sound and the fact that I could demand so much from it in terms of volume and colour. I also liked the evenness across the strings, and the fact that it did not sound “new”. The string length is comfortable – I have quite big hands but feel that nothing is too much of a stretch. There are lots of subtle colours, and more appear all the time, even now the instrument is nearly four years old. The cello goes through phases of change followed by periods of stability, but the change is always for the better. I find that the cello’s development is a learning experience for me, as I can always explore new possibilities.  I have several colleagues who offer very high praise of this instrument, as well as how it has allowed my playing to flourish!’

Alex Barnes, owner of a Stradivarius model cello by Robin Aitchison

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‘Thank you for the BEAUTIFUL cello which I played in concert this evening. Performing Vaughan-Williams’ Fifth Symphony under the baton of Christopher Warren-Green as well as two concerti with Evelyn Glennie transported me across the Atlantic and compelled me to write this long-overdue note to you.  I bought your cello in Minneapolis last summer. I was not looking to buy a cello for myself – I was shopping for instruments for my students. The shop owner handed me your cello and wanted to know what I thought of it.  I could not put your cello down. I could not leave the shop without it. I could not bring the cello back to the shop when it was time for me to fly home to North Carolina. So I brought it home with me. Everyone here loves it too.  I have had such FUN playing your cello. I am in my 25th year in the Charlotte Symphony in North Carolina, USA. I have played a lovely French instrument attributed to Xavier Couturieux since 1981 and I was very happy with it – until I played yours! I now use your cello in the orchestra and play it regularly in a piano trio. It is so refreshing to play an instrument that WILLINGLY gives me what I ask. It is responsive and quick – I liken it to driving a Ferrari, rather than the Mercedes Sedan I have been playing! The range of colours available to me now has changed my approach and refreshed my enthusiasm for playing. I love the shorter string length. Everything is easy now! My Victor Fétique bow suits the instrument perfectly. Thank you for this great gift!’

Janis Nilsen, owner of a Guadagnini copy by Robin Aitchison with original dimensions

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‘I was very impressed with your Guadagnini copy which I preferred to others I have seen (including an original Guadagnini). I very much liked its acoustic potential as well as the woodwork and varnish. Your Guadagnini copy has such richness in detail and your woodwork is of an outstanding quality and comes with an extraordinary lightness. Besides the fact that your cello is a very close copy, you have also completely captured Guadagnini’s freedom of design which I have never seen with other Guadagnini copies. Also, your varnish is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen on new instruments: it is wonderfully transparent and balanced in colour and texture. It is obvious how careful and skilled your technique of applying is! Personally, I think it is clever of you to take so much care and to persevere with your Guadagnini model and not changing your model twice a year like other some other violin makers! I’m very happy that you are going to make a cello for me and I will proudly present it in my musical environment!’

Response of a soloist on first trying a Guadagnini copy. He subsequently commissioned a copy.

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‘I took out my Robin Aitchison Strad model cello on approval in early March 2011. The cello felt so right in my hands that I was soon in no doubt that I had to buy it. As a veteran cellist with a career of 20 years as an orchestral player and then longer than that as Head of Music in two London schools behind me, my new cello has given my playing a new lease of life. In my palmy days as a player, when I was, principal cello with English National Opera, for over 10 years, I never managed to get the cello I really needed: if only I had had this cello then!’  I gave the cello its public debut on Friday 17 June 2011 with the Devas Piano Trio at Bury St Edmunds Cathedral. I have played the Mendelssohn D minor trio many times but it has never felt as good as this with its easy response and rich, vibrant tone.’  John Catlow

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‘Thank you for the happiness you bring through your enthusiastic work with cellos.’

Owner of Robin Aitchison’s first Guadagnini copy

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‘I just had the chance to see and to play on a Robin Aitchison cello based on the Guadagnini model. I was so pleased to have the chance to have a close look to this cello which I found fantastic from all points of view.’ Extract from an email from a professional Italian cellist

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‘I have your cello in hand and just want to say that it is exceptional and stunning. Thank you for it, I will be thrilled to offer it!’

Prominent USA dealer

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‘Robin’s cello performed and responded beautifully on its “maiden voyage” three weeks ago. I was very pleased. it was easy to play, which is the quality I particularly wished for in this cello, and drew very positive comments from the audience.’

Owner of an enlarged Guadagnini copy by Robin Aitchison