Colorado Springs violin maker creates 300-year legacy with his instruments

At a storybook workshop in downtown Colorado Springs, Juan Mijares transforms old wood into instruments that will resonate for centuries.

This master luthier, as these masters call him, has been hand-making violins, violas and cellos that musicians describe as “magical” for nearly 40 years.

Mijares’ professional journey began with a simple desire in high school.

“I wanted a nice guitar, and no one was going to buy me a nice guitar,” he recalled. “So I decided, I’ll figure out how to do it.”

Wood shaped to form the body of a violin — When creating the body of the violin, Pablo Mijares removes the pins that hold the glued, shaped pieces of wood together.

This curiosity eventually led him to: Violin Making School of America in Salt Lake Citywhere he studied under German master Peter Prier and he had a lifelong vocation.

“Every day when I come to work, I don’t feel like I’m going to work,” Mijares said. “I can’t wait to come and work on my projects, repairs, meeting people, selling instruments. I enjoy it all.”

Each of the instruments he learned to make there required extraordinary patience. A single violin takes approximately 300 hours to complete, while a cello requires up to 600 hours of meticulous craftsmanship. The maple and spruce wood he uses must be aged for a decade or more, becoming lighter and stronger as they lose their sap and essential oils.

Colorado Springs mastMijares begins to sculpt the body of violinist violin maker Pablo Mijares — Pablo Mijares begins to shape the body of the violin.

Sawdust on the violin bench — Wood shavings on the bench.

“The sides are bent using heat and a little water,” he explained. “The top and the back are carved out of solid pieces of wood. So the whole arched shape is carved out and then they’re kind of carved out. Like you would do a pumpkin.”

About a hundred individual parts go into each violin, held together with old-fashioned leather glue. The thickness and shape of these many components can change the final sound of the instrument.

“Usually you measure in tenths of a millimeter,” Mijares explained.

It is very valuable for local musicians to have a master master nearby.

“I was worried about finding someone when we moved here because I knew it would be difficult to get to and from Denver.” Martha Müehleisenexplained the professional violinist and lecturer at the University of Colorado Springs. “So it was nice to have someone 15 minutes away from my house.”

Finished violins hanging in a cabinet — Finished violins hang in Pablo Mijares’ Colorado Springs workshop.

Violin bows hanging in the workshop — Violin bows in the workshop.

Professional violist Ingrid Rodgers He calls Mijares a “treasure” and explains that finding the right instrument is deeply personal.

“It’s like finding a boyfriend or girlfriend,” she said. “You meet a lot of people, but then suddenly something really special comes out about that person. And it’s a lot like instruments.”

Watching these relationships form is part of the joy of Mijares’ job.

“There is something beautiful and magical in music, in sound, when a musician picks up an instrument, connects to it, and is able to express their emotions through that instrument,” he said.

Mijares instruments, which range in price from $12,000 to $20,000, are played by musicians around the world, from Ireland to California. But some of his most meaningful creations, including the instruments he crafted for his own children, remain closer to home. Youngest daughter Sophia recently received a custom-made cello, continuing the family music-making tradition.

“Every instrument is unique, and it was really special to also get input on what I wanted the cello to be like,” said Sophia Mijares.

Pablo Mijares holds his violin — Pablo Mijares turns the pages of a musical score as he prepares to play one of his violins.

For Muehleisen, handmade instruments have a distinctive quality that goes beyond their perfect sound. “You feel more connected to the instrument when you know it was handmade and worked on over time. There was care, love and expert craftsmanship in it.”

For Mijares, the real reward lies in creating something that will outlast him by centuries.

“The best violins, the best violins are like 300 years old now,” he thought. “Building something out of wood that will last and be useful for 300 years is amazing to me. Leaving this legacy means a lot to me.”

In the age of mass production, Mijares represents an endangered breed of artisans who work entirely by hand, creating not only instruments but also heirlooms of the future that will resonate for generations. As he puts it, “What else lasts 300 years and gets better?”

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