Owner Joseph Yoo is a master luthier with almost 20 years of professional experience. He was inspired to pursue music by his father, a lead musician for Korea’s National Symphony Orchestra, and began learning the cello at age 9. Joseph played the cello throughout his childhood in Korea and after he moved to San Francisco during high school. There, he continued taking private lessons from a UC Berkeley music professor. However, after his teacher passed away, Joseph completely disengaged from music.

After years away from the cello, violin making led Joseph back to music. By his second semester at the Chicago School of Violin Making in 2006, Joseph knew he wanted to dedicate the rest of his life to lutherie. Following his graduation from the Chicago School, Joseph apprenticed at a violin shop in California before moving to the east coast to work at the Potter Violin Shop. Joseph was a luthier for eight years at Potter’s, where he also served as the workshop manager.

Driven by his desire to connect and contribute more deeply to the musical community, Joseph opened Fairfax Fine Violins in April of 2018. Since the shop’s opening, Joseph has worked with strings players of all skill levels to provide them with high quality customized service. Whether it’s a beginner’s instrument, a National Symphony Orchestra member’s instrument, or virtuoso solo violinist Sarah Chang’s Guarneri del Gesu, Joseph ensures that each instrument entering the shop is treated with great care. At Fairfax Fine Violins, Joseph continues to fulfill his passion for lutherie and sustains his commitment to providing the DMV’s musical community with the finest quality service possible.