The design and manufacture of a truly exquisite sounding violin is an art that takes decades to master. Su Ding Hsuan has been making violins for over 50 years and has revived techniques that the Italian masters had long lost. While the thickness of the wood of an instrument affects the tone, the type of varnish used also plays a major role. Since the Industrial Revolution in Europe, synthetic varnish has been used, forgoing the natural varnish that had been exported from East Asia.

Su Ding Hsuan prides himself in the use of natural varnish. Although harder to apply and it cannot be mass-produced like synthetic varnish, it provides superior tonal quality. Mr. Su describes the tone of his instruments as "a crystal clear high register, a sweet and mellow middle register, as well as a rich and round low register."

The winner of the Gold Award from NTDTV's Chinese International Violin Competition will also receive a specially made, hand crafted, Su Ding Hsuan Violin.