David Joseph Carón, age 83, passed away peacefully at his home on December 20, 2024. His suffering and struggles with a rare lymphoma, endured with courage, have now ended.
David was born in Chicago, Illinois, where he spent most of his early life, apart from the few years his family lived on a farm in Arkansas. He returned to Chicago, and later nearby Champaign, IL, where he fell in love with violin making. His career ultimately brought him to beautiful Taos, NM, where he enjoyed the peace, mountains, and nature where he now rests. His profound essence remains and will be treasured by us and future generations through the legacy of beautifully conceptualized and crafted stringed instruments. His innate love and talent for fixing, creating, and improving things drove his pursuit of crafting a better instrument. Through performers, his creations continue to sing tribute to his wonderful musical imagination as they augment the voices of the artists who play them. Music and its performance have been forever affected by the contributions of David Caron and his instruments, which possess an undeniable presence, enveloping all who hear them in an extraordinary depth and breadth of sound. He could think outside the box because there was no box for David Carón. History will celebrate and remember him as one of the most innovative and accomplished violin makers of any era. He was also a true Renaissance man who, in his youth, was a fine cellist and later in life became a pilot—enjoying the thrill of soaring alongside raptors and ravens. He also enjoyed skiing, wood turning, and art – especially painting watercolors.
David was the third of eight children born to Amos and Helen Lucile Carón. He is survived by his wife Rebecca, his sons Christopher and Michael (his daughter Sandra passed away in 2000), his older sister Cece, his older brother Paul, and his younger sister Mary, along with many nieces and nephews. He is also survived by beloved mentee Klarissa Petti, who will carry forth his creative legacy.
A memorial concert is being planned for Saturday, August 9, 2025 at 5:30 pm to celebrate his life and legacy. His instruments, and the music they produce, will speak most eloquently on his behalf. If you would like to attend or participate in this concert, please contact Rebecca Caron at cellocaron@gmail.com. If you would like to contribute a statement or story about David to be published in the concert program, please contact Klarissa Petti at klarissa@kpetti.com