Stradivarius Violin Auction Benefits Music Students
Listening to music can be a very inspirational and moving experience. One of the instruments that evoke these emotions is the violin. But not all violins are created equal. One of the best violins in the world, a rare Strativarius was just auctioned to benefit music students.
The Joachim-Ma Stradivarius violin that was crafted in 1714 by the celebrated violin maker Antonio Stradivari was one of the best violins the music world has ever heard, reported CBS Boston. Owned by Boston’s New England Conservatory, it was auctioned at Sotheby’s in New York to raise funds for music scholarships. It sold for $11.3 million.
The Joachim-Ma Stradivarius Violin
The violin gets its name because it was owned by the 19 th century Hungarian violinist Joseph Joachim and then by Chinese violin virtuoso Si-Hon Ma who left the violin to the New England Conservatory in 2009.
The violin was made from maple and spruce woods with a deep red varnish during the peak period of Stradivari’s career, according to The Smithsonian Magazine. Born in 1644 in Cremona, Italy, he began producing instruments when he was 22. He made cellos and violas along with violins but it is the quality of his violins that made Stradivari famous.
Stradivari historian Toby Faber wrote in a statement from Sotheby’s, that Stradivarius violins have “no modern equivalents.”
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This violin is so extraordinary that music was composed specifically for it. “Brahms wrote the Violin Concerto specifically for this violin, and it was debuted on this violin in the mid-1800s,” Mari-Claudia Jiménez, Sotheby’s Americas president, told CBS Boston.
“This extraordinary violin represents the pinnacle of craftsmanship and classical music history, its unparalleled sound and storied provenance captivating collectors and musicians alike.”
Benefits for the New England Conservatory
Just four students at the conservatory played the violin in the past decade and each was just for a year or two, according to Smithsonian Magazine.
“Now we really have the chance to have it benefit so many more students — generations of students to come,” Andrea Kalyn, president of the New England Conservatory said in the statement from Sotheby’s. “It’s really about what’s the most powerful use of the instrument.
“While it has been a privilege to have one of the world’s finest violins, this sale will be transformational for our students.”
The reaction by students is very positive. “I can’t believe they are doing that to get more scholarships for us,” New England conservatory jazz vocalist student Aviana Gedler told CBS Boston. “I was really fortunate to receive a good scholarship from the school and I don’t think I would have been able to if I didn’t.”
While selling the magnificent violin was a difficult choice, now the proceeds will support students who will inspire countless others with their beautiful music.
