Bio
Catherine Janssens graduated from the Newark School of Violin Making in 2004. She opened her own workshop in Brussels in 2005, while continuing her training through courses and seminars (in set up, restoration, drawing, acoustics, varnishing: West Dean, Jean-Jacques Fasnacht, Iris Carr, François Denis, Wim and Jan Van Weyenberg, François Perego).
In 2009, she took part in the creation of the Atelier Flagey, a shared space for work and exchange between luthiers and bow makers where she remains active until 2019.
The ‘Platform for Education and Talent’ (King Baudouin Foundation) awarded her a grant in 2015.
Trained as a violinist, Catherine Janssens is particularly interested in the sound production of both baroque and modern instruments, and is devoting part of her study to discovering the acoustic principles underlying quartet instruments.
As a founding member and president of the EKHO association from 2014 to 2023, she has greatly contributed to the wider promotion and recognition of contemporary instrument making in Belgium.
An active member of ALADFI (the French association of luthiers and bow makers), she also seeks to encourage greater collaboration between luthiers and to promote relations between luthiers and musicians. As such, she is regularly invited to speak about violin making at courses, conferences, discussions, presentations and concerts. (Sainte Cécile ALADFI 2012, Stavelot 2017, Poznan 2018, Hallway Manor BVMA 2022…)
In 2019, she develops the Atelier Catherine Janssens, ‘at home’, where she collaborates closely with the French bow maker Eric Fournier.
In December 2023, she took over the ALADFI presidency to further pursue her commitment to promoting her profession.