Many of us have heard stories from friends and relatives about having to go abroad to purchase or maintain their beloved musical instruments.  Locally, there has always been a shortage of shops that sell good quality instruments and specialized workshops that provide professional instrument maintenance services. As a result, many musicians go to neighboring Singapore for repairs and adjustments, or even take their instrument as far away as Australia, Europe, or the United States to have a specialist work on them.

This situation was the inspiration for violinist and luthier Ergys Koni, and music lover and visionary Ms. Tan to open The String Gallery. Mr. Koni has been a professional violinist all his life, having worked in a high level musical environment as a member of orchestras in Germany, the Netherlands, and Malaysia (with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra).  Education has also been one of his passions, teaching musicians of all levels including working as a professor at UCSI University.

It is the combination of his background as a performing artist and his luthier skills, in Ms. Tan’s view, that put him in a unique position to bring out the best sound of every violin, viola, or cello. Few luthiers themselves are able to play an instrument, let alone professionally, and so are left with guesswork, theoretical calculations, and measurements when working on the sound.

Playing an instrument is an art that requires lots of patience and dedication, and the quick-result approach to just about anything these days doesn’t yield the best results. The same goes for setting violins and other string instruments up. It is a tedious task which needs patience and expertise.  At The String Gallery one enters a space from a different era, where the unforgiving frenetic pace of modern society gives way to an environment where quality and serenity reign.

At The String Gallery, customers can enjoy trying meticulously set-up violins, violas, and cellos of a wide range, all in a beautifully appointed showroom. There is even a sound-proof studio for trying instruments in privacy.

Every instrument in our collection has been selected to provide the best value possible for each price range, a bit like a gourmet selection rather than a supermarket. There is something for each type of musician and budget, from beginner level instruments  to fine investment-grade instruments made by masters from the past and modern Italian instruments made by Cremonese master maker Marco Maria Gastaldi.

The String Gallery’s dedication to the pursuit of perfection and service to the art of music is endorsed by its regular clientele of students, teachers, and professional musicians including musicians from the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as internationally acclaimed artists and soloists. Berlin Philharmonic Cellist Stephan Koncz, for instance, praised the workshop highly in his visit to The String Gallery in 2018.

Ms. Tan and Mr. Koni are also proud to host a variety of events at The String Gallery, featuring concerts, music-themed talks, workshops, and masterclasses. All in all, they hope that their shop helps bring the distinct touch of that long gone personal and warm feel to the art of music.

Location and Details

Address: The String Gallery, 10 Boulevard, B-1-25, Lebuhraya SPRINT, PJU 6A, Kampung Sungai Kayu Ara, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Tel: +603-7496 7779
Opening hours: 11am – 6pm (Tuesday to Saturday) 12pm – 4pm (Sunday), Closed on Monday