Kurt holds a B.A. in Music Education from Appalachian State University in Boone, NC and the Degree of Luthier from The Violin Making School of America in Salt Lake City, UT.  After working for five years as a maker and restorer at violin shops in Portland, OR, suburban Washington, DC and Charlotte, NC, he established his own business in 1989 and turned full attention to making new instruments.
 
To date, Kurt has produced 200 violins, 25 violas, 12 cellos and 1 kazoo. 

His instruments have been awarded numerous honors, including the coveted gold medals from the Violin Society of America’s International Competitions in 1988 and 1994.  Widenhouse violins have been featured on the cover of Strings magazine (March 1998).
 
Today, musicians are warmly welcomed at Kurt’s shop in Belmont, NC (15 miles west of Charlotte) when they stop in to try instruments and consult with the maker.