Violin-maker orchestrates his dream of bringing music to all

Chang Jingqi, a musical instrument maker from Baixiang county in Xingtai, Hebei province, is on the way to realizing his dream of bringing music to as many people as possible.

The 61-year-old is the founder of Hebei Qide Musical Instruments Manufacturing Co, which produces, sells and repairs musical instruments and related products.

"When I was young, I was just a carpenter making furniture. Then one time I went to Beijing and had a chance encounter with handmade violins. I fell in love with making them," Chang said, adding that he also found a teacher to teach him the craft.

In 2005, after years of hard work in the capital, Chang registered his own brand, Qide Musical Instruments, whose main products are stringed instruments such as violins, violas, cellos and double basses that meet the needs of a wide variety of musicians. "When I first started, the instruments were mainly supplied to foreign countries, while the main customers in our country were from music colleges and performance groups," Chang said.

However, demand for musical instruments in first and second-tier Chinese cities gradually increased as a result of the popularization and development of music education in the country, he said.

In 2018, Chang moved his factory from Beijing to Baixiang, hoping to do something meaningful — both culturally and financially — for his hometown. At his two-story factory, which covers about 2,000 square meters, a wide variety of musical instruments can be seen.

"In the past, processing the wood required a lot of physical strength, but now we have basically switched to cutting machines, although other processes are still mostly done by hand," Chang said.

According to Chang, violin-making is an involved process that includes wood selection, board-scraping, sound post installation, sound control carving and the installation and adjustment of strings. "Making an instrument requires dozens of procedures, and each step can have an impact on the quality and sound," he said.

Apart from Chang, there are a dozen craftsmen working on various sizes and models of instruments. "Each elegant-looking instrument resembles a work of art, where aesthetics and craftsmanship blend seamlessly," he said.

In a varnishing booth in the factory, a worker surnamed Huang sprays a violin. "The spray I use is specifically made for violins. It is a special formula made with alcohol and plant resin, which is environmentally friendly and safe," Huang said, adding that Chang produced the spray after conducting research.

"He is strict with all aspects of instrument making," Huang said.

Chang's hometown Baixiang is an ancient county with a long history and rich cultural heritage. In 2010, a taoxun, or clay flute, dating back approximately 6,000 years ago was excavated from a Yangshao cultural site in Xiaoli village, according to the local government.

The flute was classified as a completely preserved ancient musical instrument. Boasting such deep heritage, the county has continuously expanded development of the cultural industry in recent years by unearthing examples of craftsmanship from common people and cultivating related cultural industries.

Chang's musical instrument manufacturing business is among those industries. While providing job opportunities, his company has also promoted the development of local culture. The factory can produce about 1,000 handmade violins per year, with sales of about 7 million yuan ($988,000), Chang said. More than 80 percent of the handmade violins are exported to countries such as the United States, Germany, France and Japan.

"The output is not huge, because most of the products are of medium and high quality and take a lot of time (to produce)," he said.

Chang also plans to establish a music training center.

"I will invite music teachers from first-tier cities like Beijing to provide training and guidance for local children, in order to promote music education in my hometown, letting more local children get in touch with musical instruments," he said.

"I hope that in the future, we cannot only produce masterpieces, but also nurture some talent in music."