The "school" of Sgarabotto refers to the influential lineage of 20th-century Italian violin making established by Gaetano Sgarabotto and his son Pietro. Together, they bridged the gap between historic Cremonese traditions and modern craftsmanship, particularly through their roles as educators in Parma and Cremona.
The patriarch of the family, Gaetano was born in Vicenza and was largely self-taught before moving to Milan in 1901 to work in the prestigious Leandro Bisiach workshop. In 1928, he founded the first public violin-making school in Italy, attached to the Parma Conservatory, which operated until 1937. The Sgarabotto school essentially defined the modern "Parma tradition," moving away from rougher regional styles toward a polished, international standard.