Emil Lupač

(*4.10.1935)

Emil Lupač was born in Horní Myslová, a little village in the vicinity of the Moravian town Telč. Since early childhood he was intrerested in music. As a school boy he was a successful violinist and clarinetist. His interest in music led his way to Luby u Chebu, where he entered the luthier school. His instructors were master luthiers Josef Vávra, Josef Pötzl and Jiří Mrkvička. After a very successful graduation from this school he was chosen for his exceptional talent, abilities and work attitude to continue to study a two year build-up curriculum. There Josef Pötzl led his students to master their skills and introduced them in the secrets of making master instruments. From 1954 till 1956 he served in the army, where he became part of the military band. Saxophone and clarinet became his life-long passion.

After finishing his duties in the army he worked in the Cremona music instrument factory in Luby. He increased his qualification there, taking a four-year course for future master luthiers under the supervision of Josef Vávra and Wilibald Wilfer.

Since 1972 he works in his own atelier as a master luthier, who makes his instruments (violins, violas, violoncellos) according to his own models. His models are based on the classical Antonio Stradivari and Giuseppe Guarneri models. During the 1980s he twice led master courses and a lot of contemporary master luthiers were among his pupils. From 1989 till 1993 he was leading the practical courses in the luthier school of Luby. After decades of hard work he completed over 400 master instruments of superior quality not only in craftsmanship but especially in tonal qualities. In 1975 he was accepted in the association of professional violin-makers “Kruh umělců houslařů” and later he became a part of the board of this organization. In 1985 he was named an expert of the National Collection of Musical Instruments in Prague.