Migiwa Ito Lazzari was born on the 16th of May 1979, in Yokohama, Japan. She graduated in trumpet performance from Kunitachi College of Music in Tokyo. Her interest in violin making began through her work in a Tokyo shop specialising in the restoration of string instruments. She then trained in the workshop of Maestro Masato Sato, whose guidance marked the beginning of her experience in the construction of new instruments. In 2011, she graduated from the International School of Violin Making in Cremona, studying under Maestro Giorgio Scolari. During her school years, she began working in the workshop of Maestro Nicola Lazzari, where she continues to refine her skills in modern instrument making. Her work is inspired by the classical Cremonese tradition, with a particular focus on Stradivari models. She has participated in several international violin making competitions, earning numerous awards and recognitions: 2009: Second Prize for violin at the 3rd National Violin Making Competition in Pisogne (Italy); 2015: Finalist at the 4th Violino Arvenzis International Violin Making Competition (Slovakia), awarded Best Female Violin Maker; 2016: Finalist at the 3rd Beijing International Violin Making Competition (China); 2022: Finalist at the 8th Violino Arvenzis, awarded the Best Handiwork Prize; 2023: Second Prize in the Professional Violin category at the “Giovanni Battista Guadagnini” International Competition; 2023: First Prize for both violin and viola at the 17th International Violin Making Competition in Pisogne (Professional category); 2025: First Prize for viola at the 19th ANLAI International Violin Making Competition in Kazanlak, Bulgaria. She is a member of the KANSAI String Instruments Makers Association of Osaka, the Professional Luthiers Group of A.L.I., and the Japan String Instrument Makers Association.
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