Located in downtown Princeton, NJ, Princeton Violins was founded in 2002 by violinist and violin restorer Jarek Powichrowski. We specialize in the restoration and sales of antique and vintage violins, violas, cellos and their bows. Our attention to detail with each violin is noticed and appreciated by our clients, causing our business to continuously expand. In the last ten years, we have searched through thousands of violins in order to find mere hundreds worth perfecting and selling.
Jarek Powichrowski holds two Master of Music degrees—one from the Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw and another in violin performance from Mannes College of Music in New York. He continued his professional studies at The Juilliard School. His teachers included such internationally renowned violinists and pedagogues as Irena Dubiska, Krzysztof Jakowicz, Ruggiero Ricci, Felix Galimir, and Lewis Kaplan.
Before turning his focus to violin restoration and making, Jarek developed a career as a freelance musician, solo performer, and recording artist, performing throughout Europe, Asia, and the United States.
In the early 2000s, he studied violin restoration in New York City with Brice Dupin de Saint-Cyr. In 2010, he continued his studies in violin making in Cremona, Italy, with master violin maker Luisa Campagnolo. During his time in Cremona, he also developed friendships and professional relationships with many of today’s finest contemporary violin makers.
His lifelong experience as a violinist, restorer, and maker gives him a unique understanding of the instrument from both the player’s and the luthier’s perspective. His work helps bridge the gap between musicians, makers, restorers, teachers, and instrument connoisseurs.
Jarek’s expertise in final instrument setup and sound adjustment has led to engagements as a lecturer, demonstrator, and coach for music schools, orchestras, students, and educational events. He places particular importance on helping musicians and teachers understand how proper setup affects an instrument’s response, projection, tonal balance, and ease of playing.
Jarek is the founder and owner of Princeton Violins, LLC, where he combines his work with fine instruments with an active commitment to public engagement and music education. Some of his educational work may be viewed at:
https://www.princetonviolins.com/masterclass-series-1/
Our WORK
We are a very small company, with a close knit team of instrument restorers. Many of these instruments are vintage or antique and so require extensive restorations. Most of our collection consists of instruments with brand new fixtures, new finger boards and new bridges. After all of this work is completed, our owner dedicates yet another few hours adjusting the sound on each instrument, which has become his specialty. Here at Princeton Violins, we have found that this acute attention to detail and precision work on each individual instrument greatly enhances the quality of our collection and the satisfaction of our customers.
Our TEAM
Elizabeth Elliot - Office Manager and Front Desk Office Manager and Front Desk Lead
Liz holds a BM from Augsburg University in Minneapolis in cello and vocal performance with a minor in piano. She studied cello with Danny Rothmuller, Cecilia Rossiter, Peter Howard, and Fang Fang Xu. Liz taught private lessons in strings and piano for 34 years in Minneapolis, Los Angeles, and most recently in Doylestown. She worked for Fein Violins in St. Paul and Robert Cauer Violins in Los Angeles and joined the staff of Princeton Violins in February 2026.
As a performer, she’s an avid chamber musician, and has performed as a soloist with The Northeast Orchestra and Crown Valley Symphony. She has performed on tracks for Prince, Michelle Bloom, Tamara Silvera, Brook McCarter, Aqualung, and the soundtrack to With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story. She was a founding member of the Duende Piano Trio, the Arroyo String Trio, and a board member of the So Cal Chamber Music Workshop.
As a teacher, Liz’s former students have gone on to study at Princeton, Oberlin, Vanderbilt, UW-Madison, Northwestern, The University of Minnesota, USC, Carleton College, and Peabody. She currently teaches a small studio of cellists.
At Princeton Violins, Liz is an administrative taskmaster who takes pride in being organized to a fault, and great with customers!
Katie Stanek - Office Manager and Front Desk Cello Specialist & Fine Instrument Consultant
Katie Stanek’s life has been shaped by music from an early age, growing up immersed in choral singing and chamber music. She studied cello with Vivian Barton Dozor and David Szepessy, and holds a Master’s degree in Music Education from The Hartt School.
Her interest in fine instruments and bow making was sparked through her connection with archetier Ron Forrester, who crafted the bow she currently plays. This experience deepened her appreciation for the craftsmanship behind the tools musicians rely on, and continues to inform her work with clients. She is happy to assist clients and students in both English and Spanish.
An active performer in the tri-state area, Katie appears as both a cellist and vocalist, and also enjoys exploring folk traditions as an amateur banjo player. In addition to performing, she is a public school music teacher and maintains a private cello studio in Titusville, New Jersey.
At Princeton Violins, Katie works closely with students, families, and professional musicians to find instruments and bows that meet each player’s unique needs. Drawing on her experience as both a performer and educator, she is dedicated to helping clients discover instruments that support their musical growth, artistry, and long-term enjoyment.
Our MISSION
At Princeton Violins, we understand that the process of purchasing an instrument can be overwhelming; we would like to offer our knowledge to anyone in need of information. We have many instruments, and not all are always listed online. If you have something specific in mind or do not see what you are looking for on our site, please feel free to contact us. We strive for happy customers, and find great satisfaction in pairing a musician with their perfect match. If you are in search of the right instrument or bow, either for you or your child, we are here to help.