Perhaps I was meant to be a craftsman. I was born in Kentucky to a family of artists. My father was a photographer, artist and cabinetmaker who came here from Russia. My mother was a photographer, portrait painter and a music lover. They filled our home with beauty and my young life with the joys of music, art and crafts. In turn I was a creative child. I drew, painted and worked with wood. At age ten I began violin lessons and later played in youth orchestra. By the end of my childhood music had captured my heart but my soul belonged to the crafts.

As a violinist my interest in bowmaking began in college where I attempted to make a "Bach" bow to play his Unaccompanied Violin Sonatas and Partitas. I continued to pursue violin performance in graduate school where I was a student of artists Ruth Posselt and Richard Burgin. It was then that I had discovered my true calling. With a fascination for bows and only a modest talent for the violin, I decided to become a bowmaker. My studies were redirected and I set up 'shop' in my apartment closet. In 1975 I completed my first bow.

After receiving my master’s degree I accepted a job as bowmaker with Emile Baran Instruments in Decatur, Georgia. In 1980 I rented a studio in the Artist's Space of Nexus Inc. where I independently made, repaired and studied bows. During this time I also worked closely with the concertmaster of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, William Steck, for critiques and advice. When Mr. Steck became concertmaster of the National Symphony Orchestra, he and others asked me to relocate to the Washington, D.C. area to further my career. In 1983 I opened my shop in the Torpedo Factory Art Center of Alexandria, Virginia. In 2001 I moved to my current location and now work in association with violin maker Michael Weller.

Today I continue to develop my craft. My goal is to be a master practitioner of my craft and to be an integral part of the musical community. I try to achieve that in the following ways; by creating bows of high level artistry and functionality, by maintaining them through the preservation of their originality and enhancement of their usability, by increasing my professional skills and knowledge, by diversifying my creative output, by giving accurate and reliable appraisals and opinions on bows, by selling my work and services through the operation of a sound business.

For the past three decades I have offered to bowmaking my intelligence, dedication and skills. And in the service of music I hope to continue for many years to come.

             ef

Of Distinction:

• U.S. Premiere of Cello Concerto No. 2 by Krzystof Penderdki,         performed by Mstislav Rostropovich with the National Symphony         Orchestra and conducted by Krzystof Pendereki. November, 1983.         Instruments used in performance: 'STRAD' cello, 'COHEN' bow.
• Many world premieres of contemporary music performed by Anna-         Sophie Mutter with her 'STRAD' violin and 'COHEN' bows since 1983.

Exhibitions and Awards:

• "Certificate of Eminent Playability" Fifth International Competition         and Exhibition of The Violin Society of America. November, 1983. Salt         Lake City, Utah.
• "A Regional Exhibition of Contemporary Crafts" Atlanta, GA, 1981         Juried, cataloged exhibition.
• The High Museum of Art, "Artists of Georgia, 1980." Juried, cataloged         exhibition.

In Public:

• Guest speaker at Smithsonian's National Museum of American         History to introduce the art of bow making and the "Jano Shultz" bow         collection to museum patrons. 1995.
• Interviewed on NBC's "Sunday Today" with Al Roker, 1991.

In Print:

• "Wild Horses" WildHorse product review, Strings Magazine,         May-June 2000.
• "He Knows Bows" by Sid A. Levy, Washington Post Magazine,         2/24/91
• "Noteworthy art...." by Brian Crawford, Courier-Journal, Louisville,         KY 1986.
• "Bow-Maker Donald Cohen" by Donn B. Murphy and Stephen Moore,         Frets Magazine, October 1985.
• "Making music-makers" by Stephen Moore, The Alexandria Journal,         4/30/85.
• "Don Cohen takes a Bow" by Kim Caviness, The Alexandria Port         Packet, September 1984.
• "The Homeowner's Survival Guide" by Gail Friedman, Washingtonian,         July 1984.
• "As Good As New" by Jane Moss Snow, Washingtonian, February         1993.
• "Nexus Art Show....." by Catherine Fox, Atlanta Journal, 2/1/82.
• "Highly -skilled engineering perfects violin bow with balance that         sings" by Diane Goldsmith, Atlanta Journal, 12/17/81.

Professional Music and Art Organizations:

• The American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers, 2006 – to         present.
• International Pernambuco Conservation Initiative-USA, 2004 – to         present.
• The Violin Society of America 1980 – to present.
• Torpedo Factory Artists' Association, membership 1983-2001, and         board member 1984-1986, 1994-1997. Alexandria, Virginia.
• Mid-Atlantic Chamber Orchestra, founding board member, 1987 to         1990. Washington, D.C.
• Alexandria Commission for the Arts, resource panel member for the         visual arts, 1987-1988. Alexandria, Virginia.
• Nexus, Inc., Atlanta's Contemporary Art Center, board member         representing studio artists, 1982-1983. Atlanta, Georgia.

Education:

• Masters of Music, Music Theory, Florida State University, 1977.
• Bachelors of Music, Violin Performance, Murray State University,         Kentucky, 1975.