Nelle O’Neill was born June 27, 1934 in Paris to a French mother and American father. Shortly before the beginning of World War II, the family sailed to New York on the USS President Harding which was later sunk by German submarines. She began studying the violin at the age of nine and in 1956 graduated from the Ithaca College School of Music as a violin major. She has played and taught violin and viola professionally for the last 35 years and presently, with her husband John, is a Founding Director of the Carson Valley Violin School in Nevada. Nelle made her first violin in 1985 and since 1990, she has studied violin making and restoration with master luthier, Edward Campbell of the Chimneys Violin School at his yearly violin making workshop in Tucson, sponsored by the Violin Makers Association of Arizona International (VMAAI), the oldest organization of its type in the United States. Along with that association, she is a member of the Catgut Acoustical Society, Violin Society of America, American String Teachers Association and the Suzuki Association of the Americas. While many makers approach their craft from a background of woodworking, Nelle works from the point of view of a performing violinist and understands the importance of good sound and ease of playing to the musician. Her instruments have won numerous awards at the VMAAI annual competitions, including a "First Place Overall" and "Second Place Tone Award", viola, 2001; "First Place Tone Award", viola, 2002, 2004; "Second Place Tone Award", violin, 2002; "Second Place Tone Award" , small viola, 2006; "Second and Third Place Tone Awards" and "Third Place Overall Award", large violas, 2006. Nelle is currently producing several fine violins and violas each year and accepts commissions. All instruments are available for trial, are fully guaranteed and, upon purchase, come with a certificate of origin and value. Two of Nelle's violas that originally sold for $5-6,000 have recently been valued at $10,000 and $15,000. She is now accepting a limited number of commissions for violins ($4,900) and violas ($5,900) until May 31, 2008. Beginning in June, 2008 prices will be $5,900 & $6,900 respectively. For information on commissioning an instrument, Go here From Tree to Concert Hall Go here to watch Nelle make a violin For violins, Go here For violas, scroll down Nelle's Violas Viola, 'Muller' This viola was commissioned by Dr. Muller Fabbri of Columbus, Ohio. The instrument is shown here (March 19, 2008) strung up, with temporary fittings, before the multi coats of varnish are applied. The finished viola will appear here shortly . . . so check back! Viola, 'Farley' (16 1/4") Completed, August, 2006 Made especially for Robert Cross Awarded 2nd place for tone at the 2006 competition of The Violin Makers Association of Arizona International Hi Nelle, . . . I still get a wonderful feeling each time I play . . . or even look at 'Farley'!