Since 2014 · built on ~45 years at the bench
A customer who became an apprentice, who became a maker, who became a partner — and the shop that grew out of it.
The story
Kevin Flannery has been making and restoring instruments since 1981, working as Flannery Music Company and bringing a double-bassist’s ear — he plays in the Grand Rapids Symphony — to the bench. Matthew Noykos first walked in as a customer.
Kevin mentored Matthew in building. Matthew went on to train formally — a Certificate of Lutherie from the Violin Making School of America and a master’s in performance — then came back. In 2014 the two combined their shops to form Grand Rapids Violins, LLC.
We’re not just luthiers — we’re string players too.
That’s the thread through everything here: the people deciding how your instrument should sound are the same people who have to play in tune on stage that night. About a dozen years as Grand Rapids Violins, with more than four decades of Kevin’s bench experience behind it.
The makers
Certificate of Lutherie from the Violin Making School of America and a master’s in performance (CCM). A member of the American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers, and recipient of the VSA 2018 Certificate of Merit for Tone for a viola — a real, juried award for how an instrument sounds. Trained under Jerry Pasewicz; house-made instruments are stamped “M. P. Noykos.”
Making and restoring since 1981, first as Flannery Music Company. A double-bassist with the Grand Rapids Symphony and a lower-string specialist, Kevin trained at Guarneri House under Steven Reiley. He mentored Matthew from customer to colleague — and the merger of their shops became Grand Rapids Violins.
A Grand Rapids Symphony bassist with a doctorate from Michigan State University, on the bench since 2021. Robert brings a performer’s standard to lower-string setup and repair — judging the work by how it plays.
A violinmaker on the bench since 2021 and President of the Michigan Violinmakers Association. (We’re still catching his photo between projects — a portrait is on the way.)
Affiliations & credentials
2018 Certificate of Merit for Tone (viola) — Violin Society of America.
American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers — member.
Violin Making School of America — Certificate of Lutherie.
Performing members of the Grand Rapids Symphony on the bench.
Michigan Violinmakers Association — president on staff.
Plan your visit
By appointment in Cascade — tell us what you play and what you need.
By appointment · Tue–Thu 10–5 · Sat 10–3