Mitchell Patrick McCarthy is a professional violin maker and restorer currently based in Auckland, New Zealand.
Born in the United States and growing up in rural Minnesota, Mitchell was interested in art and music from an early age. Having access to a workshop at home, he was initially introduced to woodworking and other handicrafts by his father and quickly began to foster an appreciation for making with his hands.
Playing the guitar since age thirteen and originally studying electrical engineering after high school, finding violin making was something of an unexpected turn. After being sent an article by his mother about an instrument making program in Red Wing, he decided to visit the school. He was immediately enthralled by the shop setting, the deep tradition, and use of hand tools. Trusting his instinct - he decided to enroll!
Mitchell thoroughly enjoyed his coursework which included violin setup and restoration techniques, bow rehairing, history of early instruments, and of course, violin making. In 2012 he graduated in the top of his class with an academic scholarship from the Violin Society of America.
He then spent the next decade honing his skills as a luthier at Blackerby Violin Shop in Austin, TX and then at Quinn Violins in Minneapolis, MN. During this time, he continued to expand his knowledge and experience with the attendance of technical workshops and professional conventions.
In 2022, Mitchell was afforded the incredible opportunity to move overseas to work for the Stringed Instrument Company is Auckland, New Zealand. He currently divides his time between instrument setup and repairs, new making, and hiking around the staggering beauty of Aotearoa.