Stefano Conia was born in Hungary on 10 January 1946. From a young age, he studied the violin and developed an interest in instrument making, following in his father's footsteps. His father had graduated from the Cremona School of Violin Making.
After finishing high school and his violin training in Hungary, he moved to Italy to attend the International School of Cremona from 1968 to 1972. He graduated from this school under the guidance of Maestri Sgarabotto, Morassi and Bissolotti. In 1975, he became a teacher at the same school, initially specialising in varnishing and restoration, and later in construction. He stopped teaching in 1998. In his workshop in the heart of Cremona, he builds instruments, drawing inspiration from the models of the great classical masters while also experimenting with various personal designs. He uses carefully selected, well-seasoned woods to build his instruments, and the outlines and arching are classical. The varnish is rich and intense. Each instrument is meticulously inspected, acoustically refined, and bears an internal branded mark with his signature. It also comes with a certificate of authenticity and guarantee. He has won numerous national and international awards, and his instruments are now known and appreciated all over the world. He is a member of the Italian Luthier Association (ALI) and the European Luthier Association (AEL).
More detailed information about his work can be found in: Strad Magazine (1976–78), La Bottega dei Miracoli (Ed. Stradivari, 1982), Liutai Italiani di Ieri e di Oggi, Arte Liutaria di Gio Batta Morassi (1984), Dictionnaire Universel des Luthiers (Vannes, 1985) and Lütgendorff Dictionary (1990).
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