Récompenses Press Book : Patrick Charton

Gold Medal
Gold medal winner (double bass making) in the international competition of Portland U.S.A. November 2004.

GOLD MEDAL FOR PANORMO Double bass

Gold medal winner of the Paris first international competition of violin making in 1991

Mr. Michel BROLY who won the gold medal at the 2nd "Paris international competition of violin making" in 1999. (Double Bass Category)

Gold medal winner for his assistant Noémie BARONNET of the Paris first international competition of double bass making in décember 2004.

NOEMIE in GOLD

Silver medals
Silver medal winner in november 2004 at the cello making competition in USA (Portland).

ARGENT VSA and SB52

Sound Prize for an "Charton" viola 41 cm, of the Paris first international violin making competition in décember 2004.

Sound Prize for an "Charton" cello, of the Paris first international competition of alto making in décember 2004.

Valériane Bonnet playing Charton cello

Certificates of merit
International competition (USA 2002)
- Quartet workmanship
- Cello workmanship

A PATRICK CHARTON BASS
on Double bassist's cover

DOUBLE BASSIST : P Charton's unique instruments
THE THIRD WAY
French luthier Patrick Charton has absorbed many influences to produce his unique instruments. Paul Curtis found out more.
Collaboration has always been key to musical performance and instrument making. Think of J.C. Bach's promotion of the pianos of Johannes Zumpe in 18th-century Engalnd, or the developments in the clarinet that so influenced Haydn, Mozart, Weber and Spohr. Bowed string instruments have benefitted as well : Paganini was in close contact with contemporary luthiers, whereas in our own century English violist Lionel Tertis worked with the maker Arthur Richardson to produce a new model instrument....
Another long-standing and significant partnership has influenced French maker Patrick CHarton, who in 1991 won the Gold Medal at the Paris International Lutherie Competition. Working from his atelier in St Etienne - a town south of Lyon on the Loire river - Charton has enjoyed a highly fruitful collaboration with Daniel Marillier, principal bass of the Bastille Opera orchestra in Paris. For 15 years the two men shared a vision of a "perfect" double bass : an instrument combining esthetics with comfort and an even tone quality. After numerous prototypes and models, their labours bore fruit in January 1999 when Charton unveiled his new creation. It has been acclaimed by Marillier - who now use it as his principal concert instrument - and by numerous observers. Delegates at this year's International Society of Basists Convention in Iowa City were universally admiring, whereas Double Bassist's classical recordings critic praised the "powerful double bass wich is sonorous throughout its range" in his review of a recent Marillier disc...