About

Tommy Case (left) and Daniel Graham show the three violins that Daniel and Tommy made during Daniel’s year-long (July 2020 - June 2021) violin making apprenticeship. Two of the violins are conventional size and design. The smaller violin is a “Pochette” or pocket violin that was popular in Europe in 1600-1700s and in the US during the 1800s. The labels in these violins make note of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Tommy Case Background

I live in the historic community of Great Crossing near Georgetown Kentucky. I started my Violin Making and Luthier career in 2002. As of 2021, I have made 21 violins. I acquired the foundation of my violin making and teaching skills through 2 apprenticeships where I was the student and four student apprenticeships:

Bill Huckaby Apprenticeship - Bill made 50 violins and 2 cellos over his career. He instructed me (step by step) on the making of my first 2 violins and consulted on subsequent violins until his death in 2009. Toward the end of his life, Bill expressed his desire for his students to pass on what he taught us to a younger generation that will have a lifelong interest in music, music making and the luthier profession.

Art Mize Apprenticeship - In February of 2011, I applied for an apprenticeship with Art who is a long-time luthier and highly recognized musician, artist and string teacher in Lexington KY. The Kentucky Arts Council awarded us a grant for this FY'13 apprenticeship. The Mize apprenticeship helped me make significant strides in the appearance, playability and responsiveness of the instruments I have made over the last several years.

Student Apprenticeships – To date, I have served as the Master for 3 Kentucky Arts Council sponsored Violin Making apprenticeships. Through these apprenticeships, I have improved my teaching skills and fulfilled my promise to my mentor to pass on the skills and techniques I have learned to the next generation.

History of Great Crossing

The Community - https://news.psu.edu/story/562405/2019/03/18/research/great-crossings

Elijah Craig (Businessman, Preacher and Distiller) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elijah_Craig

Richard M. Johnson (Military Leader & Politician) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Mentor_Johnson