The Violin Channel reports that American violinist Charles Castleman donates his 1748 Joannes Baptista Guadagnini violin, valued at over $1 million, to the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami. The article notes Castleman’s lineage as a student of renowned teachers and his past competition prizes, and mentions a second donation of a rare early 18th century Guarneri violin by the Miller family.
The Global News article by Kaylen Small covers a University of Lethbridge Conservatory of Music fundraiser where Alberta artists painted seven violins and one cello from the conservatory’s collection. The project, meant to support youth music programs, features artists such as Kari Lehr, Karen Tamminga-Paton, and Tony Partridge. The fundraiser is scheduled for May 11.
The article discusses the 18th-century Guarnerius del Gesù violin nicknamed “Il Cannone,” owned by Niccolò Paganini, visiting Columbus and to be displayed at the Columbus Museum of Art from May 11–19. Joanna Frankel, concertmaster of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, will perform as soloist with the orchestra on May 15 at 8 p.m. in the Ohio Theatre, conducted by Rossen Milanov, with pieces by Saint-Saëns, Massenet, Tchaikovsky, and Paganini.
The article reports that Samuel Kane, a violinist from Loughgall, County Armagh, has been named the Leader of the Ulster Youth Orchestra and was presented with the Milton Violin, a 239-year-old instrument made by Joseph Gagliano, by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. The violin was donated to the Arts Council by Professor Alan Milton in 1980.
A Paganini violin, a renowned instrument from Genoa, Italy, is arriving in Columbus and will be played and displayed. The violin is valued at 35 million dollars, with guards ensuring security during transit and display.
The historic Niccolo Paganini II Cannone Violin will be displayed at the Columbus Museum of Art in Columbus, Ohio for 10 days. The instrument was constructed in 1743 and is highlighted by local officials and museum staff as a significant cultural asset.
The article reports that customs officials at Moscow’s Domodedovo airport seized an 18th century violin from violinist Nikolai Managazze, who planned to compete in the Tchaikovsky Competition. The instrument, on loan from a Swiss foundation, prompted questions about whether it is part of Russia’s national heritage. Managazze, born in Moscow and based in Dubai, was detained for several hours.
Columbus Symphony Orchestra concertmaster Joanna Frankel will perform on the violin once owned by Niccolo Paganini, on loan from Genoa, during a Wednesday concert at the Ohio Theatre. The instrument, known as the Il Cannone, was removed and tuned by Bruce Carlson, conservator of the instrument, with Frankel rehearsing prior to the performance. Frankel will solo on five pieces, including Cantabile and Caprice No. 11, said Music Director Rossen Milanov.
Blake Pouliot, a VC Young Artist, is announced to replace Renaud Capuçon for a series with the Dallas Symphony due to Capuçon’s illness. Pouliot will debut with Brahms Violin Concerto on May 16–19 under conductor Pablo Heras-Casado. Pouliot is a Colburn School alumnus and former first prize winner at the Montreal Symphony Orchestra Manulife Strings Competition; he currently performs on a 1729 Guarneri del Gesù loaned by the Canada Council for the Arts Musical Instrument Bank.
Kevin Zhu, an 18-year-old VC Young Artist, has been granted long-term use of the 1722 Ex-Lord Wandsworth Stradivarius violin on loan from the Ryuji Ueno Foundation and Rare Violins In Consortium. The instrument was previously owned by Georges Chanot, Lord Sydney Stern Wandsworth, W.E. Hill & Sons, Karel Ondricek, and Edwin L. Wiegand.
Texas A&M Central Texas researchers study prized violins and other string instruments at the molecular level to analyze wood, varnish, and adhesives that influence sound. The work involves Stradivari instruments and aims to decipher their construction methods using high-magnification electron microscopy.
The article discusses a 1927 violin made by Riccardo Genovese in Lecco, sold for €32,500 at Il Ponte auction house in Milan on April 17, 2019. Genovese lived in Lecco during 1927–1928 and is noted for his construction methods and the Pressenda influence.
Stella Chen was awarded 1st prize at the 2019 Queen Elisabeth International Violin Competition in Brussels. The article lists other prize recipients, including Timothy Chooi (2nd) and Stephen Kim (3rd), followed by prize winners Shannon Lee, Julia Pusker, and Ioana Cristina Goicea for 4th to 6th.