This morning, at the International School of Violin Making in Cremona, the official presentation of MIR – Musical Instrument Register took place. The new portal is dedicated to makers of handcrafted bowed and plucked instruments. Promoted by Eric Blot, Simeone Morassi, and Paolo Moglia, the initiative is conceived as an innovative platform for contemporary luthiers, artisans, and professionals, with the aim of creating a protection service for both the present and the future of violin making.

The meeting was opened by Simeone Morassi, who illustrated the philosophy of the project (whose conception began years ago), defining MIR as a tool designed to support and protect excellence in contemporary musical craftsmanship. “Our goal is to create a protection service for the present and for the future, providing certain, verifiable, and permanent information to clearly and unequivocally identify high-quality handcrafted musical instruments,” he explained.

In his speech, Morassi emphasized how today there is often a lack of a standardized traceability system, a situation that can lead to difficulties in proving authenticity and provenance, loss of information about construction techniques, depreciation of a luthier’s work over time, and uncertainty for musicians and collectors. In this context, MIR is proposed as a dedicated digital archive in which the maker personally certifies and registers their own work, creating a true permanent “identity card” for each instrument.

During the presentation, the main features of the portal were illustrated. The process includes accreditation of the luthier, completion of a detailed technical data sheet for each instrument, and the upload of standardized photographic documentation. All data are securely archived, becoming a stable and reliable reference over time.

A central aspect highlighted was the international scope of the project. “We are creating a database for new instruments, open to luthiers from all over the world, not only in Italy,” Morassi подчеркed, noting how today, with globalization, it is increasingly difficult to recognize the school or origin of an instrument. “This makes it more complex for musicians and collectors to understand where an instrument comes from and who made it,” he added, underlining the value of MIR as a tool for clarity and protection.

It was also reiterated that only professional luthiers can directly enter their own instruments on the platform, after verification of identity and professional status. The portal’s administrators do not artistically evaluate the instruments, but only verify the professional eligibility of the makers, leaving full responsibility and ownership of the published information to the luthier.

Among the most relevant innovations is the optional possibility of integrating an NFC tag into the instrument. This technology allows users, by bringing a smartphone close, to directly access the registered information. “It is an additional service for control and authentication of the instrument,” Morassi explained, stressing how this system can represent a valuable tool against counterfeiting.

In concluding the meeting, it was emphasized that MIR is not only a digital archive, but a tool intended to become a shared heritage of contemporary violin making. “The more people participate, the more complete the database will become,” Morassi concluded, inviting luthiers to actively take part in the project to protect and enhance over time the fruits of their art and professionalism.

Photos by Francesco Sessa Ventura