Pirastro’s New KorfkerSpring Chin Rest Takes a Flexible Approach

By Megan Westberg | From the March/April 2026 issue of Strings

Berent Korfker is a Dutch concert violinist with a teaching résumé that includes stints at London’s Royal College of Music and the Yehudi Menuhin School. He is also an inventor who’s spent a number of years collaborating with Pirastro. So if you’ve ever wondered about the naming conventions of that company’s KorfkerCradle, KorfkerRest, and KorfkerRest LUNA shoulder rests, your curiosity has thus found its object. These are all the results of that collaboration. Not content, however, to remain focused on the shoulder, Pirastro has recently added to its Korfker-related offerings with the KorfkerSpring, a lightweight and flexible chin rest.

This chin rest comprises a system of springs and a convex chin plate of hardened Swiss maple. The springs are meant to facilitate greater comfort and freedom of movement; they allow customization in terms of position, height, rotation, and tilt. Acoustic fidelity was also a concern for Korfker, and materials used are described as “tone optimized.” Available for both violin and viola, the KorfkerSpring weighs in at 15 grams and can be either center or side mounted.