In 2010, Anna Huthmaker discovered the Belgium-based organization, Luthiere sans Frontières (Luthiers without Borders). The organization was formed to travel to developing countries where trained luthiers taught residents to repair instruments and bows in support of local music programs. LSF combined two of Anna’s passions…. restoring bows and being of service, and she soon joined them, traveling to Ecuador, Haiti, and Cuba, teaching bow rehair and restoration.

A year later, she met Ute Zahn, a German violin maker, who was also working with LSF-Belgium. Having never met in person, they knew that they shared the same dedication to the LSF mission, and soon co-founded LSF-USA. In the years since, Ute and Anna have traveled extensively, teaching young luthiers in Jamaica, Cuba, Belize, Haiti, Ecuador and Trinidad.

LSF-USA’s greatest pride to date is the program at the University of Trinidad and Tobago. At the invitation of Caitlyn Kamminga, professor of Double Bass, Ute and Anna spent six years traveling to Trinidad to teach a class of college students. Three of those students went on to travel to the United States for further education and have now opened a string instrument repair business and a bow restoration shop on the island.

For more information about LSF-USA, along with ways that you can support the mission, visit www.lsfusa.org.

LSF-USA is a non-profit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service. Financials are available upon request.