Bowman Strings

Suzanne – Owner and Manager

Suzanne started her encounter with orchestral string instruments at age 8 (4th grade) in a public school string program in the Chicago area. In 5th grade she switched from violin to cello and continued through high school and early adulthood.

Her playing took a hiatus in her 20’s to focus on the events of marriage and her three children. Upon moving to the Richmond, VA area in 2001, she decided to resume her schooling at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in 2002 to earn a degree in music education. She graduated in 2007 with a B.A. in Music (education focus) with a minor in Business degree. During this time, she started working for a local area Richmond violin shop and was there for 12+ years.

After starting a new job in Williamsburg in 2018, she fell in love with the Williamsburg area and permanently relocated to Williamsburg in 2022. She was very surprised to discover that Williamsburg did NOT have a shop specially dedicated to orchestral string instruments!

After leaving her job in June of 2024, she decided to make a long time dream a reality, and Bowman Strings was born! Her son Erich relocated from the Pittsburgh area so Erich could be a part of the endeavor and create a family legacy business for long into the future.

Suzanne is a member of ASTA (American String Teacher Association) and NPM (National Pastoral Musicians).

Erich – Luthier Apprentice and Webmaster

A graduate of ECPI University (2012), Erich has spent the years since graduation in various industries, but he has always endured a separation between work & play; keeping his passion for technology, woodworking & music as hobbies. (Pictured left: Mr. David Yohe, Erich’s middle school orchestra teacher, Erich, and Suzanne)

When approached by his mother, Suzanne, to pursue his passions as a career instead, and to work with his family to create a legacy business together, he was absolutely thrilled & eager to begin.

Erich began his lifelong journey with both music & technology at a young age. Raised by a family enveloped in the world of arts & music, and by a father in the IT world, both fields have become his greatest passions in life.

A musician himself, this is apparent in his craft, engaging in both traditional & digital music. An already gifted tailor & craftsman, Erich took his skills to the field of carpentry in his twenties, and completely fell in love with its beauty; both simple & complex. Inheriting many tools to accelerate his skills, he has grown significantly over the years and continues to refine his skills each day.

Erich has studied bow rehairing under master bowmaker and restorationist, Rodney Mohr, and violin family instrument set-up under master craftsman and internationally known violin restorationist, Hans J. Nebel.