Alkis Rappas has been passionate about violins for over 50 years. He started taking private violin lessons at the age of nine. Later, he received formal violin training at the Bucharest School of Music for three years with Mircea Vasilescu, himself a student of George Enescu and the renowned German pedagogue Carl Flesch.
Alkis completed his undergraduate studies in Chemical Engineering in Bucharest and Athens Polytechnic Universities. After receiving his PhD from Yale University in Engineering and Applied Science, Alkis embarked on a successful career as an R&D engineer and inventor.
Alkis established his violin making career in early 1980’s, being prompted and excited by the work on the acoustics of violins by Carleen Hutchins. He has participated in all the annual Violin Restoration, and Violin Making workshops at Oberlin College for the last 13 years. The late Vahakn Nigogosian, (Nigo), the founder and director of the violin restoration workshops at Oberlin became his mentor and teacher. Thus, Alkis learned the key elements of the Italian making traditions, style, character and tone qualities and adjustments from Nigo who had worked at Wurlitzer with Sacconi and other violin experts. At these Oberlin workshops, Alkis and the other participants, which included some of the best makers in the World, have mutually benefited from open interactions and exchange of ideas and information.
Alkis S. Rappas is a member of the Violin Society of America (VSA), and past member of the Catgut Acoustical Society (now merged into VSA). He is also a member of the Violin Makers Association of Arizona International (VMAAI) where he also served as a judge and is currently on their Board of Directors.
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