Ettore Pagano won the 2026 Queen Elisabeth Competition for Cello and will have the Casals Goffriller cello on loan for four years. He will perform on it at the Pau Casals International Music Festival in El Vendrell on 21 July and at the Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona on 22 July. The loan is part of the 150th anniversary celebrations of Pablo Casals’ birth and the 150th anniversary of Queen Elisabeth of Belgium’s birth.
The Calgary Tribune reports that the Stradivarius Des Rosiers and its Tourte bow were declassified from Quebec’s protected heritage objects, overruling warnings from the Conseil du patrimoine culturel du Québec. The council argued the move could enable foreign sale or muséification, while officials said it corrects a historical anomaly; the declassification was initiated after a heritage council submission and public engagement.
Inge Kjemtrup writes about Count Cozio di Salabue (1755–1840), an instrumental collector, dealer, patron, and archivist who bridged 17th–18th century Cremona and modern violin understandings. The article discusses his methodical note‑taking, his aim to preserve the craft, and his ownership of Stradivari material now housed in the Museo Stradivariano in Cremona.
The article by Philip J. Kass discusses Matteo Goffriller, a Venetian instrument maker, who largely faded from memory for many years before being reevaluated. It places his work in the broader context of Italian Tyrol diaspora luthiers and the influence of Cremona on violin making, noting Venice as his chosen center.
The Strad reports that 21 year old Japanese violinist Koshiro Takeuchi won first prize at the 2026 Concours Musical International de Montreal (CMIM), whose grand final took place on 4 June. His package included a CAD 30,000 cash prize and a CAD 40,000 career development prize, plus a three year loan of a 1728 to 1730 Guarneri del Gesu violin from the Canimex Music Instrument Collection.
Violinist Beatrice Colombis from Australia wins the 2026 Michael Hill International Violin Competition in Auckland, NZ, receiving NZ$40,000, a recording contract with Atoll, and a multi-centre Winner’s Tour.
The Lady Blunt Stradivarius, a 1721 Stradivarius violin, sold for a record £9.8 million at online auction, with proceeds going to victims of the Japanese earthquake. The auction was conducted by Tarisio and the instrument has long been associated with Lady Anne Blunt, granddaughter of Lord Byron.
Ellen Taaffe Zwilich has written her 18th solo concerto, a viola concerto, with world premiere performed by Paul Neubauer and JoAnn Falletta with Brevard Sinfonia at Brevard Music Center's 2026 summer festival in Brevard, NC. Neubauer will also perform the piece with Falletta and the Buffalo Philharmonic in 2027.
National Geographic reports that scientists traced the wood for Stradivarius violins to forests in the Italian Dolomites, specifically Val di Fiemme, using tree-ring analysis. The study, published in Dendrochronologia, suggests violins from Stradivari’s golden age largely used Norway spruce. The article discusses how wood properties influence sound and notes a famous Stradivari sale price.
The article reports an unrestored c. 1789 Ferdinando Gagliano violin exceeding its £65,000-£85,000 estimate at Ingles & Hayday’s October auction, selling for £180,000. It notes the instrument’s provenance and original components. It also covers Winston Churchill’s ‘Cigar Box’ violin selling for £6,600, with details about its inscription, make, and later association with Yehudi Menuhin; additional mentions include a 1715 Grancino II violin (£144,000) and an 1788 Tomasso Balestrieri violin (£300,000).
The Ebene Quartet announced that its members will perform on four Antonio Stradivari instruments: the 1717 Piatti violin played by Pierre Colombet, the 1710 King George violin played by Gabriel Le Magadure, the 1734 Gibson viola played by Marie Chilemme, and the 1698 De Kermadec-Blass cello played by Yuya Okamoto. The instruments were provided through the Stradivari Stiftung Habisreutinger-Huggler-Coray and Beare's International Violin Society, with no value disclosed.
The article reports a 1753 Giovanni Battista Guadagnini violin selling for $1.2 million at Tarisio’s October auction. It also notes other violin sales of 1750 Camillus Camilli for $258,600, 1701 Giovanni Tononi for $236,00, and 1774 Tommaso Balestrieri for $216,000, as well as an 1820 Raffaele and Antonio Gagliano cello sold for $90,000, and bows by Dominique Peccatte ($102,000) and James Tubbs ($13,200).
The Ébène Quartet, based in Paris, announced the acquisition of four Stradivari instruments from the 17th and 18th centuries: two violins (1717 Piatti and 1710 King George), a 1734 Gibson viola, and a 1698 De Kermadec-Bläss cello. Violinist Pierre Colombet, Gabriel Le Magadure, Marie Chilemme, and cellist Yuya Okamoto are noted with various loans and instruments from sponsors and collectors.
The post reports that the recovered ex-Kym Stradivarius violin was auctioned by Tarisio for $2.27 million. The Strad Online link is provided as the source. The page is from the blog Lost Fiddle and references The Strad Online story about the stolen instrument fetch at auction.
The article discusses the 1741 Playfair violin by Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù and its acquisition path through dealer Colin Maki, leading to violinist Ray Ushikubo, a 24-year-old San Gabriel musician who will debut the instrument in a free concert. It notes Ushikubo’s performances at major venues and awards, and outlines the instrument’s provenance from W.E. Hill & Sons to a collector and finally to Ushikubo via Maki.
The Ebène Quartet, based in Paris, announces the acquisition of four Stradivari instruments: two violins Piatti (1717) and King George (1710), a Gibson viola (1734), and a De Kermadec-Bläss cello (1698). Violinist Pierre Colombet will play on Piatti 1717 and a Goffriller violin (1736) loaned through Beare's; Gabriel Le Magadure will play King George 1710 and other loaned instruments; violist Marie Chilemme will perform on Gibson 1734 and a 1625 Hollmayr viola; cellist Yuya Okamoto will play De Kermadec-Bläss cello 1698 and previously used a Grancino cello 1682. The instruments are provided by the Stiftung Habisreutinger-Huggler-Coray and Beare's International Violin Society, with loans from Gabriele Forberg-Schneider and others.
The article features violinist Augustin Hadelich, explaining his long use of the 1723 ex-Kiesewetter Stradivari. He discusses his bow by Paul Simon, and mentions owning modern instruments by Michel Eggimann and Mario Miralles. The piece covers his career highlights and his instrument preferences.
The Strad reports that violinist Fanny Robilliard has been appointed first concertmaster of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, sharing the role with Malin Broman. Robilliard performs on a 1627 Nicolo Amati violin borrowed through the Foundation Culture et Musique.
The Strad reports that American violinist and pedagogue Peter McHugh died on 7 June 2026 at the age of 87. He taught for almost 40 years at the University of Louisville School of Music, retiring in 2014 as distinguished professor of violin emeritus, and was named Outstanding Teacher of the Year by the American String Teachers Association in 1993.
Stephanie Powell reports that the 1743 ex-Havemeyer Guadagnini cello sold for $1.5 million through Tarisio Auctions, setting a new auction record for Guadagnini instruments. The ex-Havemeyer is one of 40 known Guadagnini cellos and last appeared for sale about 60 years ago.
The Strad reports that the 2026 George Enescu International Competition in Bucharest has selected 50 competitors each for its cello and violin disciplines, to be held between 29 August and 19 September 2026. Each discipline offers a first prize of 15,000 euros, a second prize of 10,000 euros and a third prize of 5,000 euros, with cello jury led by Arto Noras and violin jury by Mihaela Martin.
The article discusses the Chi Mei Culture Foundation’s stringed-instrument collection, led by Wen-Long Shi, and violin maker Dai-Ting Chung in Tainan, as well as their acquisition and exhibition plans. It mentions the foundation housing about 1,750 instruments in the Chi Mei Museum and Shi’s leadership in building the collection.
The article describes a 416-year-old Italian viola crafted in 1610 by Giovanni Paolo Maggini joining the Australian Chamber Orchestra. Stefanie Farrands, the orchestra’s principal viola, spent five years sourcing the instrument, which cost over $3 million and was acquired through the orchestra’s instrument fund in its 15th year. The viola’s provenance traces from Henry Holmes to a US collector, and it underwent CT testing before performance.
The Strad reports that the UK based Kleio Quartet has appointed violist Jaren Ziegler and cellist Gerard Flotats, replacing departing members Juliette Roos and Eliza Millett. Founding member Yume Fujise returns to the first violin position as part of the reshuffle.
The Strad reports that violinist Christian Tetzlaff won Instrumentalist of the Year at the 2026 Opus Klassik awards for his recording of violin concertos by Elgar and Ades, while cellist Simon Tetzlaff won Young Talent of the Year. Other string winners named include the Ebene and Belcea Quartets as Ensemble of the Year, violinists Frank Peter Zimmermann and Esther Abrami, and cellist Anastasia Kobekina.
The Strad reports the death of French viola da gambist and conductor Jay Bernfeld, who lived from 1952 to 2026 and died at the age of 73. He was respected as both a soloist and a continuo player and received acclaim for his recordings.
The article discusses the 1734 Ames, Totenberg Stradivari, which has had a tumultuous history including theft, repair with glue, and recent loan to a Juilliard student Nathan Meltzer. It highlights the instrument's excellent condition and notes opinions from experts about its late-period Stradivari characteristics and provenance, including comments from Jason Price of Tarisio.