A maker of fine violins and violas
Violin and violin family instrument making by Jennifer Halenar in Nashville, TN.
Jennifer Halenar is a skilled luthier based in Nashville, Tennessee, with over 23 years of experience in instrument repair, setup, and making. Like many in her field, her journey with the violin family began at a young age as a player—an early passion she continues to enjoy today.
Living and working in Nashville—often referred to as the “Third Coast”—has immersed Jennifer in a rich and diverse musical culture, allowing her to collaborate with musicians across a wide range of genres. While she specializes in crafting traditional violins and violas, she has also spent the past decade building five-string violins, a unique hybrid instrument that blends the ranges of the violin and viola. Jennifer takes pride in supporting this growing niche and meeting the evolving needs of modern string players.
Here's a fun little video of me in the workshop. It's more romantic than reality, but it is fun to watch!
A tiny glimpse into the violin making process. Maybe one day I’ll have video clips from all aspects of the process.
I’ve been a fan of Fiddler magazine for many years. It’s full of great tunes and articles about different players and styles. Really it’s a great resource for tunes, workshops, recordings and other fiddle related stories. Their own writer, Matt Merta got in touch to interview me. I think it’s a lovely article and was flattered they wanted to share my story about violin making..
