The Stradivari Society is a

philanthropic Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives for the public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private good, focusing on material ...

organization An organization or organisation (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English; American and British English spelling differences#-ise, -ize (-isation, -ization), see spelling differences) is an legal entity, entity—such as ...

based in

Chicago, Illinois Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

, best known for its arranging deals between owners of

antique An antique () is an item perceived as having value because of its aesthetic or historical significance, and often defined as at least 100 years old (or some other limit), although the term is often used loosely to describe any object that i ...

string instruments In musical instrument classification, string instruments, or chordophones, are musical instruments that produce sound from vibrating strings when a performer strums, plucks, strikes or sounds the strings in varying manners. Musicians play some ...

such as those made by luthiers

Antonio Stradivari Antonio Stradivari (, also , ; – 18 December 1737) was an Italian luthier and a craftsman of string instruments such as violins, cellos, guitars, violas and harps. The Latinisation of names, Latinized form of his surname, ''Stradivarius'', a ...

and Giuseppe Guarneri, for use by talented musicians and performers. The Stradivari Society does not hold

title A title is one or more words used before or after a person's name, in certain contexts. It may signify their generation, official position, military rank, professional or academic qualification, or nobility. In some languages, titles may be ins ...

to the instruments.

Background

The Society was founded by Geoffrey Fushi and Mary Galvin in 1985 when Galvin, wife of then-president of

Motorola Motorola, Inc. () was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois. It was founded by brothers Paul and Joseph Galvin in 1928 and had been named Motorola since 1947. Many of Motorola's products had been ...

Bob Galvin Robert William "Bob" Galvin (October 9, 1922 – October 11, 2011) was an American executive. He was the son of the founder of Motorola, Paul Galvin, and was the CEO of Motorola from 1959 to 1986. Motorola career Born in Marshfield, Wisconsin, ...

, was approached by Fushi and Robert Bein from Bein & Fushi of Chicago, to lend the ''Ruby Stradivarius'' of 1708 that he had previously sold to her to a promising violinist, Dylana Jenson. Seeing that such rare violins were very expensive and difficult to obtain, Galvin and Fushi designed the structure and name of the society after lending another violin when

Dorothy DeLay Dorothy DeLay (March 31, 1917 – March 24, 2002) was an American violin teacher, instructor, primarily at the Juilliard School, Sarah Lawrence College, and the University of Cincinnati. Life Dorothy DeLay was born on March 31, 1917, in Medic ...

of the

Juilliard School The Juilliard School ( ) is a Private university, private performing arts music school, conservatory in New York City. Founded by Frank Damrosch as the Institute of Musical Art in 1905, the school later added dance and drama programs and became ...

asked Fushi for a violin for her most promising student, then ten-year-old Midori. Enjoying the experience of lending such beautiful violins to those who could use them to grow and launch their careers, a string of loans followed. Awardees include

Joshua Bell Joshua David Bell (born December 9, 1967) is an American violinist and conductor. He is currently music director of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Early life and education Bell was born in Bloomington, Indiana, one of four children of ...

, Gil Shaham, Paul Huang, Yi-Jia Susanne Hou, Leila Josefowicz, Philippe Quint, Sarah Chang, Janine Jansen, Vadim Repin, Kristóf Baráti,

Hilary Hahn Hilary Hahn (born November 27, 1979) is an American violinist. A three-time Grammy Award winner, she has performed throughout the world as a soloist with leading orchestras and conductors, and as a recitalist. She is an avid supporter of contemp ...

Maxim Vengerov Maxim Alexandrovich Vengerov (; born 20 August 1974) is a Soviet-born Israeli violinist, violist, and conductor. Classic FM has called him "one of the greatest violinists in the world". Vengerov was born in Novosibirsk, the only child of Al ...

, and Paul Coletti, all of whom have enhanced their careers playing violins the Society arranged for them to borrow.

Loan program

The Society's two dozen

patrons Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows on another. In the history of art, art patronage refers to the support that princes, popes, and other wealthy and influential people ...

are each given tri-annual concerts by their sponsored musician during its three-year period. Each artist is responsible for insuring the instrument, and its delivery to the workshop of Bein and Fushi. Inspection and service is performed exclusively by Bein and Fushi three times yearly, and cannot be done by any other luthier without permission. The instrument is often purchased by the artist from its patron, with The Society acting as liaison.

Recipients

;

* Philippe Quint - Ruby, 1708 * Clara Jumi Kang - ''ex-Strauss'', ''ca.'' 1708 * Vadim Gluzman – ''Auer'', 1689 * Kristóf Baráti - ''Lady Harmsworth'', 1703 * Augustin Hadelich – '' Kiesewetter'', ''ca..'' 1723 * Cecily Ward – ''Fleming'', 1681 * Rugerro Allifranchini – ''Fetzer'', 1694 * Gil Shaham – ''Comtesse de Polignac'', 1699 * Frank Almond – ''Dushkin'', 1701 * Berent Korfker – ''King Maximilian Joseph'', ''ca.'' 1702 * Stefan Milenkovich – ''Lyall'', 1702 * Tamaki Kawakubo – ''La Cathédrale'', 1707 * Jeff Thayer – ''Burstein; Bagshawe'', 1708 *

– ''Tom Taylor'', 1732 * Janine Jansen – ''Barrere'', 1727 ; Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù * William Hagen - ''Sennhauser'', ''ca.'' 1735 * Paul Huang - ''ex-Wieniawski'', ''ca.'' 1742 * Francisco Fullana - ''Mary Portman'', ''ca.'' 1735 * Stephen Kim - ''Moller'', ''cs.'' 1725 ;Other
Joshua Brown
- Pietro Guarneri, 1679 * Stephen Waarts - Pietro Guarneri II of Venice, ''ca.'' 1750 * Tim Fain - Francesco Gobetti Venice, ''ca.'' 1717 * Sandy Cameron - Pietro Guarneri of Venice, ''ca.'' 1735 * Elena Urioste - Alessandro Gagliano, ''ca.'' 1706 * Kenneth Liao -

Nicolò Amati Nicola Amati, Nicolò Amati or Nicolao Amati (, ; 3 September 1596 – 12 April 1684) was an Italians, Italian master luthier from Cremona, Italy. Amati is one of the most well-known luthiers from the Amati, Casa Amati (House of Amati). He was t ...

, ''ca.'' 1635-40 * Gao Can -

''Lobkowicz'' 1617 * Jonathon Moerschal – ''Gasparo da Saló, "Adam"'', 1590 (viola) * Yang Lie - Guarneri School of Cremona. ''ca.'' 1740 * Tom Stone Jr. – ''Tonge; Scheinin'', Carlo Bergonzi, ''ca.'' 1733 * Jisun Yang – Nicolò Gagliano, ''ca.'' 1750 * Richard Hirschl – Ferdinando Garimberti, 1923 (cello) * Michala Høj – ''Robert Chen'', Matteo Goffriller, ''ca.'' 1700 * Jason Issokson – Pietro Guarneri, ''ca.'' 1679 * Yang Liu – ''

Guarneri The Guarneri (, , ), often referred to in the Latinized form Guarnerius, is the family name of a group of distinguished luthiers from Cremona in Italy in the 17th and 18th centuries, whose standing is considered comparable to those of the Amati ...

us'', ''ca.'' 1740 * Hanbin Yoo – Giovanni Paolo Maggini, ''ca.'' 1600 * Tai Murray – Petrius Merighi, 1772 * Axel Strauss – ''Taylor'', Giovanni Francesco Pressenda 1845

References

Stradivari Society
- Official website {{Authority control Music organizations based in the United States Organizations based in Chicago Organizations established in 1985 1985 establishments in Illinois

Background

Loan program

Recipients

See also

References