The Hutchins Consort

The Hutchins Consort plays on the eight scaled violins of the violin octet designed and built by famed luthier Dr. Carleen Hutchins. The instruments are the first successful attempt to create an acoustically balanced set of instruments that can sound truly like violins across the entire range of written music. With instruments ranging from the tiny treble violin, tuned one octave above the standard violin, to the gigantic large bass violin, tuned one octave lower than a 'cello, the Hutchins Consort produces an astonishing pallet of sounds.

Based in Southern California, the Hutchins Consort brings together a group of extraordinary virtuosi to tackle the challenge of adapting the techniques of traditional strings, as well as inventing new techniques, to master the instruments Dr. Hutchins created.

The Hutchins Consort plays music of the Middle Ages and Renaissance to the music of the modern masters. With original compositions and transcriptions commissioned by the Catgut Acoustical Society for the octet of violins, and new transcriptions by members of the Consort, The Hutchins Consort displays a breadth and depth that few traditional groups match, and a sound that is truly unique.

Dr. Carleen Hutchins

Dr. Carleen Hutchins is the recipient of four honorary doctorates and is the foremost authority on Violin Acoustics.

In 1963 she co-founded the Catgut Acoustical Society, best known for its pioneering work in the development of scientific insights and their application to the construction of new and conventional instruments of the violin family; from 20 original members, the Society has grown to include 800 members in 36 countries.

With the assitance of over 100 associates in the Catgut Acoustical Society, Dr. Hutchins developed the octet finely matched violins in a series of sizes from the tiny treble to the gigantic bass violin. Tests of the acoustic qualities of exquisite early violins were followed by years of experiment in the dimensions, fittings and resonances of a large number of instruments to create the violin octet.

Board of Directors

National Advisory Board

Anne Anderson, Board of Governors, Dallas Symphony
Dr. Alan Chapman, Composer, KUSC Musicologist
Dean Corey, President and Artistic Director, Philharmonic Society of Orange County
John Forsyte, President, Pacific Symphony
Jeffrey Kahane, Music Director, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra
Welz Kauffman, President and CEO, Ravinia Festival
Judith Rosen, Founding President, Board of the Arnold Schoenberg Institute
Ronald Rosen, Chairman Emeritus, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra
Deborah R. Rutter, President, Chicago Symphony
Kris Sinclair, Executive Director, Association of California Symphony Orchestras
Dr. John Schneider, Composer, Author, Broadcaster and Critic
Bertram Turetzky, Professor of Music, University of California, San Diego
Erich Vollmer, Consultant

In Memoriam

Dr. Carleen Hutchins, Luthier, Scientist, Founder of the Catgut Society & New Violin Family Association
Henry Brant, Composer
Marjorie Rawlins, Founder, National Music Museum>
Ernest Fleischmann, Los Angeles Philharmonic Impresario and Visionary