Monthly archive
8 headlines
Source-linked reporting
ilgiornale.it
Article about violin teacher N. Diatchenko arrested for defrauding students; a genuine Amati-family violin is identified among fakes; investigators say he extracted over 1.2 million euros while exploiting his professional musician students, with six victims confirmed (four Italians, one Korean, one Dutch). Seized assets include nearly 200 violins and bank records.
cbc.ca
The article discusses a rare 300-year-old Stradivari cello failing to meet its reserve price of 1.47 million US dollars at an online auction conducted by Tarisio. The bid reached 1.34 million US dollars, and proceeds were planned to benefit the Royal College of Music in London.
nytimes.com
The New York Times reports on the 1717 Stradivari cello named after Amaryllis Fleming, which opened bidding on Tarisio and reached a record bid of $1.35 million but did not meet the reserve price. The cello, valued between $1.48 million and $1.97 million, ended without a sale as of the closing of bidding, though negotiations continued afterward.
wunc.org
This NPR/WUNC article by Sadie Babits discusses ultralight violins and related instruments showcased at the Violin Society of America conference in Portland, Oregon. It highlights Joseph Curtin's ultralight violin made partly from balsa wood, reactions from Weigang Li of the Shanghai Quartet, and mentions other ultralight instruments by David Rivinus, Jim Ham, and Ted White.
nytimes.com
The New York Times article profiles Guy Rabut, a violin maker whose studio in Manhattan uses tools and techniques dating back to Stradivari. It notes Stradivari’s work around 1700–1720 and mentions a 1707 Stradivarius sold at Christie’s for over $3.5 million, while Rabut sells violins for $22,000, violas for $24,000 and cellos for $40,000.
kbbi.org
Sadie Babits reports for NPR on ultralight violins and other instruments showcased at the Violin Society of America's gathering in Portland, Oregon, featuring Joseph Curtin's ultralight violin made partly from balsa wood and commentary from performers and makers including Weigang Li, David Rivinus, Jim Ham, and Ted White.
www-s1.npr.org
The NPR story profiles violin maker Sam Zygmuntowicz in Brooklyn, describing his use of CAT scans and other imaging to study historic violins and improve his own instruments. The piece references the Strad 3D Project and notes collaborations with George Bissinger of the Oberlin Acoustics Workshop.
sj-r.com
The article profiles Shaughnessy, a 66-year-old Plymouth resident and ex-semiconductor engineer who builds violins and violas in his home workshop after retiring. It notes his six years with the Southeastern Philharmonic Orchestra and his approach inspired by Italian masters Nicolo Amati, Andrea Guarneri, and Antonio Stradivari, using traditional methods and materials.