Peter apprenticed at The Violin Shop of Santa Fe in 2001, which led to enrollment at the North Bennet Street School (Boston, MA) in 2003. While a student he interned at Reuning and Son Violins, and graduated with a diploma in Violin Making and Repair from the North Bennet Street School in 2006. He has worked for violinmaker David Gusset, and violinmaker and restorer Andrew Carruthers.

Awards include Certificate of Merit for Violin Tone (VSA 2006), and First Prize for Workmanship and Playability (Art of Sound Competition 2012). Peter joined the Paul A. Schmitt Violin Shop in 2017.

Nick discovered that violin shops were magic as a young child, tagging along with his big sister as she took her instrument in for repairs and check-ups. He started playing violin in the fourth grade (on an instrument from Schmitt Music) and has never really stopped. Nick graduated from Hampshire College in 2003 with a concentration in Music Composition. After learning about a nearby program teaching instrument repair, he jumped at the chance to trade his job working with databases and spreadsheets for one working with planes, knives, and hide glue. He graduated from the Minnesota State College SE in Red Wing with a diploma in Violin Repair in 2017, and started working for Schmitt Music the following summer. Currently, Nick oversees the quality control of Schmitt Music’s student violins, violas, and cellos, and continues to hone his skills in set-up and repair under the supervision of Peter Bingen. Nick remains excited to be able to work with beautiful things everyday, and to help instruments and musicians perform to their fullest potential.

Isabel first picked up a violin at age five and never looked back! Her love of music and the violin grew throughout her childhood, helped by her participation in Minnesota Youth Symphonies and many other musical opportunities in the Twin Cities. She studied under Sungrai Sohn at Sarah Lawrence College, graduating with a B.A. in 2013.

After a stint studying music history at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, she was happy to return to her home state and join the Schmitt Music family. Working in the luthier shop has given her a deeper understanding of and a different perspective on the instrument she has played for decades.

Levi is an assistant luthier working under Peter Bingen in the orchestral department. He is a life long musician with goals to study violin performance at conservatory in 2022. Besides playing music he also loves to cook, spend time outdoors, play guitar and work on his motorcycle.