Monthly archive
22 headlines
Source-linked reporting
cbs8.com
The CBS 8 article highlights Cremona’s master makers, its historic museum, and Stradivari instruments as central to the city’s violin tradition. It mentions the Violin Museum housing instruments by Stradivari, Amati, and Guarneri, and notes values in the millions of euros.
11alive.com
The article describes Cremona’s master violin makers, the city’s historic Violin Museum, and famous instruments by Stradivari, Amati, and Guarneri housed in Cremona. It notes the museum’s collection of more than 60 instruments and mentions high-valued Stradivari violins, including those selling for over 20 million euros.
timesofmalta.com
A Stradivarius once owned by violinist Roman Totenberg was recovered after 35 years. The Ames Stradivarius, made in 1734 by Antonio Stradivari, was reportedly in federal custody after a lead followed by an FBI agent and appraiser Phillip Injeian led to authorities announcing its recovery.
interlude.hk
Janet Horvath reports that the Liang Yi Museum of Hong Kong, in collaboration with J&A Beare of London and luthier Robert Brewer Young, unveiled the world’s first huanghuali cello in January 2026. The exhibit runs until January 28, with tours and related workshops, and features rare huanghuali objects and historic violins by Stradivari and Guarneri.
bluewaterhealthyliving.com
Austin Huntington, principal cellist of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, plays a 350-year-old Guarneri cello worth about $5 million. The instrument is the only known Guarneri cello fashioned by Pietro Guarneri of Mantua, and Huntington studies it under the guidance of his longtime teacher Ronald Leonard.
timesofmalta.com
A rare Stradivari viola, the Macdonald, failed to sell at a sealed-bid auction with a minimum bid of $45 million (€33 million). The instrument was made by Antonio Stradivari in 1719 and is one of only two privately owned. The auction was conducted by Sotheby’s in conjunction with Ingles & Hayday, with no sale at this time.
news.nus.edu.sg
Georgii Moroz won the First Prize at the Singapore International Violin Competition (SIVC) 2026, with Danish violinist Michael Germer and Chinese violinist Zou Meng taking second and third places, respectively. Moroz performed Bartók’s Violin Concerto No. 2 in the Grand Final at Esplanade Concert Hall on 7 February 2026.
The Strad
Ukrainian violinist Georgii Moroz, 24, won first prize and 50,000 dollars at the 2026 Singapore International Violin Competition, whose grand final took place on 7 February at the Esplanade Concert Hall. Michael Germer of Denmark took second prize (25,000 dollars) and Zou Meng of China took third (15,000 dollars). The six finalists received three-year loans of fine violins from the Rin Collection, including the 1680 D'Annunzio-Baccara Antonio Stradivari, a 1719 Carlo Tononi, a 1721 Domenico Montagnana, a 1753 Giovanni Battista Guadagnini, a 1793 Lorenzo Storioni and an 1840 Francesco Pressenda.
aguttes.com
The article reports a world record sale of a cello by Marius Didier for €18,600 at Aguttes on June 8, 2023, as part of the reopening of the Instruments and Bows department. It notes the department’s overall sale total of €185,000 with 73% of lots sold and lists top sales, including a cello by Didier, a bow by Emile Auguste Ouchard fils, a violin by Paul Blanchard, and a bow by Victor François Fétique.
aguttes.com
The Aguttes news page discusses a Guarneri del Gesù violin from 1736 in Cremona, owned by violinist Régis Pasquier for over twenty years, to be auctioned on June 3, 2022. It notes the instrument’s middle-period status, rarity in the 21st century, and compares it to Stradivarius instruments.
giordanoviolins.com
Paganini's Cannone, a violin built in 1743 by Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù, is highlighted at a London concert featuring Simon Zhu with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Antonio Pappano. The event included a royal tribute from King Charles III and involved luthier Alberto Giordano, conservator of the Cannone. The Cannone is housed at the Musei di Strada Nuova in Genoa and serves as a cultural ambassador for Liguria.
The Strad
Chinese violinist Xunyue Zhang won first prize and 10,000 euros at the 2026 International Mozart Competition, whose finals took place on 12 February at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg; she performs on a 1663 violin by Andrea Guarneri. Italian violinist Yuki Serino took second prize (7,000 euros) and Maxim Tzekov of Austria and Bulgaria took third prize (3,000 euros).
timesofmalta.com
The 310-year-old violin, made by David Tecchler in 1709, was left on a train by Stephen Norris and returned in a supermarket car park by an unknown man. Police said no further action would be taken. The instrument is worth around €290,000.
timesofmalta.com
A 1696 Antonio Stradivarius violin worth £1.2 million, stolen in 2010 from Min-Jin Kym, has been found. The instrument and two bows worth £67,000 were stolen at London’s Euston station and recovered; authorities confirmed the find and the violin is being held at a secure London location.
timesofmalta.com
The article reports that Tarisio sold the 1721 Lady Blunt Stradivarius violin for £9,808,000 at a June 20 auction, setting a world record. The sale proceeds were pledged to aid Japan through the Nippon Foundation’s relief fund, and the violin has a history of ownership including Lady Anne Blunt and Jean Baptiste Vuillaume.
timesofmalta.com
The MacDonald Viola, a 1719 Stradivari viola, is expected to fetch more than $45 million in a sealed-bids sale, potentially setting a world record for a musical instrument. The instrument is one of only two privately owned Stradivari violas and is being sold by the family of Peter Schidlof. Sotheby’s is conducting the sale with Ingles & Hayday.
The Strad
The Strad reported that the finalists for the 2026 Ysaye International Violin Competition have been announced, with eight junior-division and twelve senior-division violinists selected. The finals are set to take place from 6 to 12 July in South Korea, with senior finalists required to perform works including a solo violin sonata by Eugene Ysaye. No sale, price or historic instrument is named in the announcement.
afr.com
Australian Chamber Orchestra principal viola Stefanie Farrands is connected to the purchase of a Maggini viola valued at $US2.05 million for the ACO Instrument Fund.
newsapp.abc.net.au
The Australian Chamber Orchestra acquired a 416-year-old viola made in 1610 by Giovanni Paolo Maggini, becoming the first viola purchased by the instrument fund. Stefanie Farrands, the AOС principal viola since 2020, discovered the instrument in New York and described its sound as mysterious and dark.
musicalinstrumenthub.com
The Australian Chamber Orchestra has acquired a 1610 Maggini viola for its Golden Age collection. The instrument will be played by ACO Principal Viola Stefanie Farrands and was funded by the ACO Instrument Fund, which sold a 1714 Guarneri violin to finance the purchase.
theviolinchannel.com
The Australian Chamber Orchestra acquired a 1610 Maggini viola. Stefanie Farrands, ACO's Principal Viola, will play the instrument. The acquisition was funded by the ACO Instrument Fund, which loans valuable instruments to players.
The Strad
The Australian Chamber Orchestra acquired a 1610 tenor viola made in Brescia by Giovanni Paolo Maggini, described as believed to be the only surviving example of its kind, for more than 3 million dollars through its Instrument Fund. To pay for it the fund sold a 1714 Guarneri violin. The viola will be played by the orchestra's principal viola Stefanie Farrands.