Itzel Ávila, Luthier

Itzel Ávila, M. Mus., Luthier

Itzel Ávila is a Mexican-Canadian violin maker based in Toronto, Canada.
She graduated with honours in violin performance from the National Autonomous University of Mexico and holds a Master’s degree in the same discipline from the University of Montreal.

Still a teenager, she made her first violin in Mexico. Years later, she started working in professional workshops in Montreal while completing her master’s degree, and further perfected her skills in Cremona, Italy, and San Francisco, United States, under the supervision of Francis Kuttner, and, back in Montreal, with Michèle Ashley. 

She is an active participant of the annual Oberlin Violin Makers Workshop, and has exhibited her work in Italy, Belgium, Mexico, Netherlands, Germany, Canada and the United States.

In 2009, she established her own workshop in Toronto.

Her instruments are characterized by an ergonomic and comfortable playability, reliable responsiveness, mature and powerful sound.

Itzel Ávila was the President of Le forum des Fabricants/The Makers’ Forum – Canadian Association of Violin and Bow Makers from 2020 to 2022. Since November of 2022, she is a member of the Board of Directors of the Violin Society of America and the Coordinator of the New Instrument Exhibit of the VSA.

She was awarded the Ontario Arts Council grant “Skills and Development” grant (2023-2025).

Itzel Ávila is also a photographer, and the mother of two children.