The Sarasate violin by Antonio Stradivari will be showcased at the Violin Museum of Cremona from 6 September 2024 to 6 January 2025, in collaboration with the Musée de la Musique de la Philharmonie de Paris, marking the three hundredth anniversary of its construction. The exhibition, titled “Sarasate, the violin of the virtuosos. 1724-2024,” explores the instrument’s history and its notable custodians, including Pablo de Sarasate and past owners like Count Cozio di Salabue, Giovanni Battista Guadagnini, Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume, and Charles-Eugène Gand.
The news concerns cellist Richard Harwood stepping down as principal cello of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, a position he has held since 2018. The article notes his background, collaborations, and forthcoming activities.
Bloomberg Investigates reports on Bernard von Bredow, a rare instrument collector, and the murder of him and his daughter Loreena in Paraguay, detailing the investigation and the eventual prosecution of suspects.
Sam Mondros reports on a private salon in San Francisco where violinists Eric Chin and Lisa Lee performed on a 1722 Stradivari and a 1641 Nicolo Amati. The event featured two locked cases, a $20 million Stradivari and a $1.8 million Amati, hosted by George Horsfall at his Alamo Square home, with about 45 attendees. Lisa Lee, the Amati’s current player, is positioned to be the recipient if a buyer for the Amati is found.
The Violin Channel reports that an antique German violin with a Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume label was stolen on August 6, 2024, from the Chiesina Uzzanese in Lucca province, Italy. The instrument’s back is in two pieces of flamed maple and has several repaired cracks; the violin measures about 36.4 centimeters.
The Peghead Nation video features Lauren Rioux demonstrating a 2008 Jonathan Cooper five-string violin, described as Jonathan Cooper’s 289th instrument. The instrument has a traditional maple back and sides with a spruce top, a viola-size peghead, and a combination of D’Addario Zyex strings with a Kaplan E string. The bow is a pernambuco viola bow by Thomas Dignan, and the chin rest is Guarneri ebony modified by Jonathan. The video is part of Peghead Nation’s Fine Lutherie series.
Jieun Son of South Korea won the senior solo violin category. Results announced for Violin Categories A, B, and C as well as Chamber Music Categories A and B at the Kreutzer International Music Competition in Ghent, Belgium (Aug 6–10, 2024). The prizewinners received more than €13,000 in prize money, with €1,000 awarded to the winners of the top categories.
The article reports that Czech violinist Pavel Sporcl became an artist-ambassador for Thomastik-Infeld, and cites his Jan-Spidlen-built blue violin, which he says has never sounded as good as now. It also notes Sporcl debuted the new Dynamo strings in Israel, substituting for Viktoria Mullova and performing the Beethoven Violin Concerto with the Israel Camerata Jerusalem.
The 1720 Brescian viola and its bow were reported stolen on the evening of July 4, 2024 at Brasserie Carls in Hamburg, Germany. The instrument is labeled Gaetano Pasta fecit Brescia 1720 and the bow labeled Knopf – Berlin; case is Red Tononi. Owner is offering a €10,000 reward and case number is 014|1K|455127|2024.
The page announces the world premiere of Umbra, a double concerto for cello and Ondes Martenot with string orchestra, composed for Musicus Soloists Hong Kong. Performers include Trey Lee (cellist) and Nadia Ratsimandresy (Ondes Martenot), with Petteri Iivonen and Aurélie Entringer as guest contributors.
The Kloster Schöntal International Violin Competition announced its 2024 prize recipients across three age groups. In Age Group 1, Mai Ikawa won first prize, Jayda Lu second, and Tsz Yan (Tiffany) Li third, with Ikawa receiving €2,000 along with several prizes. In Age Group 2, Natsuho Murata won first prize, Madeline Goh second, and Emmy Gu third. Age Group 3 had no first prize, with Sofia Smǎrǎndescu taking second and Dániel Hodos and Yungi Kaneko sharing third prize ex aequo.