Marquis Violins owner Barry Hou (left) and violin maker Jay Cai are inspecting a violin by H. Fagnola, dated 1926 Turin YoYo and Meow Mi in 2000. YoYo is in a better place now. Our cute kitty cat Meow Mi. Tony and Joey, They joined the family since Feb. 2006.

Marquis Violins owner Barry Hou has been interested in the art of craftsmanship his whole life. As a child he became fascinated with the workings of airplanes, learning to both build and fly them. In fact, in 2000, Marquis was subcontracted by the US Navy and contracted by Zona Technologies to build and test-fly a remote controlled version of an UAV (Unmanned Air Vehicle) “ERGM” (Extended Range Guided Munition), which features an oblique wing design.  As Mr. Hou grew up, his passion for building airplanes transferred over to the art of violin-making as well. He first learned to play the violin as a child, and his passion for the creation and restoration of stringed instruments flourished in his teens. Mr. Hou made his first violin at the age of 17. As a personal interest, he studied violin making and restoration with English luthier Richard Blois. Mr. Hou was also a former employee at the renowned violin shop of Thomas Metzler, located in Glendale, California. By participating in exhibitions, auctions, conventions, and extensively compiling and researching stringed instrument archives, Mr. Hou acquired appraisal and authentication knowledge and skills.  Today, Mr. Hou's strengths lie in troubleshooting both the needs of the instrument and its player. He provides solutions that personalize each instrument to its player’s needs, such as the offset of overstands and the dimensions and cross-sectional shape of the neck. He is especially talented in the standards of the art of restoration and the specific workings of the violin because he is able to view the instrument from the perspective of both a player and a maker. Mr. Hou’s passion for instruments and bows enable him to successfully work with each individual player in the search of his or her dream instrument. Mr. Hou's assistant, Jay Cai, was born as the second generation of award-winning violin makers. He now primarily concentrates on the art of restorations. Mr. Cai is highly praised for his precise chisel technique and fine workmanship. As a team, Mr. Hou and Mr. Cai successfully assess the care that each instrument needs, producing the highest tone quality and playability possible.