Tom Blackburn Cause Of Death, Obituary Not Yet Available – For more than 50 years, the London-based luthier and restorer ran Blackburn Stringed Instruments. Tom Blackburn, a luthier and instrument trader, died at the age of 77. His London shop, Blackburn Stringed Instruments, was a mecca for London string musicians for 50 years, and he was recognized for his colorful personality and wit. Lydia Mordkovich, Dona Lee Croft, and Maurice Hasson were among his clients.
According to thestrad.com, Blackburn, who was born in West Ham, London, in 1944, joined the Essex Youth Orchestra as a child. Marta Eitler, a Hungarian violinist who later became one of his customers, was his teacher. He was accepted into the Royal Academy of Music, where he studied piano, organ, composition, and violin, the last of which he studied with Clarence Myerscough.
He worked as a freelance violinist in several West End musicals after graduating in the early 1960s, often leading the orchestra. Frank Sinatra, Shirley Bassey, and Marlene Dietrich were among the artists he worked with, and he had a long affiliation with the Savoy Operas. He also toured schools in the south of England, giving teaching and lecture recitals.
Blackburn’s fascination with stringed instruments led him to Nice, where he studied lutherie. He started Blackburn Stringed Instruments in South Kensington in 1969, with a passion for violins, particularly those of the French school. He was the owner of the company for nearly 50 years. Among his significant transactions was Myerscough’s 1570 Gasparo da Sal viola, which is presently played by Amihai Grosz.
‘Restoration is intriguing in all of its forms, and one never stops learning or finding new ways to attain a solution,’ says the author. In 2012, Blackburn told Kensington and Chelsea Today. ‘Restoration has a moral component. Do as little as possible; don’t strive to improve on the work of the manufacturer.
The setup of instruments is one of my favorite things to do… We must remain as neutral as possible here, but having spent so many years as a professional violinist gives you that extra inner understanding.’
