Potter Violins

Potter Violins Potter Violins is the largest purveyor of exceptional bowed string instruments in the mid-Atlantic region.

Potter Violins is a full service shop dedicated to teachers, students, and players of all levels. We stock an abundant selection of excellent instruments, bows and cases to fit every budget and playing level. A generous purchase allowance and financing is available along with our rental program and our expertly trained resident luthiers can help you maintain your instruments in peak condition. As your bowed string instrument specialists, we are invested in your success!

06/19/2026

On Sunday we enjoyed a very special evening for our 30th Anniversary Lecture Series with violinist Nick Kendall, and we are so grateful to everyone who joined us.

Nick reminded us of something we believe deeply at Potter Violins: practicing music is not just about the notes. It is about who you become in the process. The focus, the discipline, the courage to share something you have worked so hard on are all life skills. They start the moment a young student picks up an instrument for the first time.

Thank you to Nick for so generously sharing his wisdom, his experience, and his heart with our community. And thank you to everyone in the room for being part of our 30 years of music, growth, and connection in the DC area.

☀️ Summer Hours ☀️Both of our locations will be closed on the following days this summer for our team to enjoy the holid...
06/15/2026

☀️ Summer Hours ☀️

Both of our locations will be closed on the following days this summer for our team to enjoy the holidays with their families.

Friday, June 19th - Closed
Saturday, July 4th - Closed

Our regular operating hours remain the same. We look forward to seeing you in the shops!

One family literally changed how the United States teaches violin.John Kendall brought the Suzuki Method to the United S...
06/11/2026

One family literally changed how the United States teaches violin.

John Kendall brought the Suzuki Method to the United States in the 1960s. His grandson Nick Kendall went on to win Grammy and Emmy Awards, perform at Carnegie Hall, the Sydney Opera House, and BBC Proms, and co-found the genre-defying band Time for Three.

This Sunday, June 14, Nick is pulling up a chair at the very recital hall that bears his grandfather's name.

Join us and our founder Dalton Potter for an intimate conversation and Q&A with Nick about mastery, creativity, and what it means to never stop growing as an artist.

📅 Sunday, June 14 | 5-7pm
📍 Potter Violins, Takoma Park
🎟️ bit.ly/InConversationWithNicolasKendall

$15 in advance on Eventbrite or $20 at the door

✨ All proceeds benefit

Turns out, learning violin and learning to read have more in common than you'd think. A study published in Frontiers in ...
06/09/2026

Turns out, learning violin and learning to read have more in common than you'd think.

A study published in Frontiers in Neuroscience found that kids who play an instrument develop stronger verbal memory, better reading skills, and even more accurate pronunciation in a second language.

Want to learn more about this incredible research?
Read more: bit.ly/Howmusicaltrainingaffectscognitivedevelopment

06/04/2026

What does real musical freedom actually look like?

For Nick Kendall, it's not the absence of structure, it's the result of it. Years of daily discipline, honest review, and continuous growth. That's what allows a musician to walk onto any stage and treat it like a playground.

On June 14th, Nick joins Dalton for a conversation about exactly that: the intersection of mastery and creativity, the Suzuki method, and what it means to never stop growing as an artist.

This is the kind of conversation that reminds you why you picked up an instrument in the first place.

📅 Sunday, June 14 | 5-7pm
📍 Potter Violins, Takoma Park
🎟️ $15 in advance on Eventbrite or $20 at the door

✨ All proceeds from ticket sales benefit a DC-area nonprofit of the speaker's choice. Nick has selected .

Every instrument deserves its moment in the spotlight. This month, we gave our featured violin a full glam shoot, and ho...
06/02/2026

Every instrument deserves its moment in the spotlight. This month, we gave our featured violin a full glam shoot, and honestly? She delivered.

Meet our Featured Instrument from May: a 7/8 violin by Ada Quaranta, crafted in Cuneo, Italy in 2025 and modeled after the legendary “Lord Wilton” Guarneri del Gesù of 1742. We’re pretty sure she knew exactly what she was doing in front of the camera.

A little about Ada:
🎶 Trained at the Antonio Stradivari International School in Cremona
🎶 Specialized in high-level restoration across Europe, including with renowned maker and researcher Roger Hargrave
🎶 Opened her own atelier in Italy in 2002
🎶 Her instruments blend the traditional methods of Cremona and Brescia with the latest developments in acoustics and historical research
🎶 Now played by leading musicians around the world and exhibited in major cities including New York, London, Berlin, Paris, and Cremona

Available to try in our Takoma Park showroom or by shipment.

Call 301-652-7070 to schedule an appointment or in home trial.

05/29/2026

Finding the right size violin makes all the difference for a young player's comfort, technique, and confidence.

Watch how our rentals manager, Elizabeth, works with 6-year-old Diana to try out a few different sizes until we land on just the right fit. Not too big, not too small, exactly what she needs to set her up for success.

Getting sized properly from the start helps young students develop good habits and actually enjoy playing. It's one of the most important steps in the rental process, and it's something we take seriously for every student who walks through our door.

Starting your child on violin, viola, or cello? Come in and we'll make sure they leave with an instrument that feels like it was made for them.

Music lessons do more for your child's brain than you might think. A study published by Frontiers in Neuroscience and th...
05/28/2026

Music lessons do more for your child's brain than you might think.

A study published by Frontiers in Neuroscience and the National Library of Medicine found that kids who learn an instrument don't just get better at music. They score higher on IQ tests, perform better academically, and carry those advantages well into adulthood.

We'll be breaking it down over the coming weeks.

Can't wait? Read it here: https://bit.ly/Howmusicaltrainingaffectscognitivedevelopment

If you're in the DC area and thinking about getting your child started, we'd love to help you find the right fit. Reach out to learn about our student rental programs, teachers, and music programs near you.

05/21/2026

Meet our featured instrument for May: a 7/8 violin by Ada Quaranta, made in Cuneo, Italy in 2025 and modeled after the legendary "Lord Wilton" Guarneri del Gesù of 1742.

A little about Ada:
🎶 Trained at the Antonio Stradivari International School in Cremona
🎶 Specialized in high-level restoration across Europe, including with renowned maker and researcher Roger Hargrave
🎶 Opened her own atelier in Italy in 2002
🎶 Her instruments blend the traditional methods of Cremona and Brescia with the latest developments in acoustics and historical research
🎶 Now played by leading musicians around the world and exhibited in major cities including New York, London, Berlin, Paris, and Cremona

This 7/8 is a rare find, blending old-world artistry with modern precision. Available to try in our Takoma Park showroom or by shipment.

Call 301-652-7070 to set up an appointment today!

Why do you WANT to practice this summer?This summer, we're inviting student string players in the Washington DC area to ...
05/20/2026

Why do you WANT to practice this summer?

This summer, we're inviting student string players in the Washington DC area to set a goal, track their practice, and earn free ice cream at our end-of-summer party on September 12.

Here's how it works:
✔️ Stop by our Takoma Park shop (or download from the link in bio) and grab a free practice chart
✔️ Write down your summer practice goal
✔️ Practice 50 days over the summer
✔️ Celebrate at our end-of-summer party with free ice cream!

Whether your child plays violin, viola, cello, or bass, this is a fun, low-pressure way to keep the momentum going through summer break.

No sign-up fee. No pressure. Just a little accountability and a whole lot of ice cream.

Swipe through to learn more, then come grab your chart and practice promise at the shop or from this link: bit.ly/PVPracticePromiseandChart

We can't wait to celebrate your hard work in the fall!

Address

7711 Eastern Avenue
Takoma Park, MD
20912

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 6pm
Wednesday 10am - 6pm
Thursday 10am - 6pm
Friday 10am - 6pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+13016527070

Website

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