Private (fund)

for a top violinist

Principal Soloist

The Music Instrument Fund’s greatest wish at this time is for a very high-quality violin that can be used as a solo instrument by violinist Carla Leurs (42). Carla served for many years as principal violinist of the Orkest van het Oosten and, in that capacity, also performed regularly as a soloist. Conductor Jan Willem de Vriend frequently invited her to perform as a soloist with other orchestras he conducted. Carla is also known as the concertmaster on the TV show Maestro. However, in 2019 she decided to trade her job as concertmaster for a career as a soloist. The Guadagnini violin is the perfect fit for that!

Violins on the Tracks

There is no way Carla can afford to purchase such an instrument on her own, unless a newly built instrument comes along that meets all her criteria. She has tried out a few instruments recently and has been exploring her options extensively. On virtually every good old Italian instrument—as well as a few high-quality newly built ones—she found that she felt much freer to explore the possibilities of the dynamic range.

In general, the Musical Instrument Fund always begins its selection processes in the Netherlands. The Musical Instrument Fund does this to give local dealers the first opportunity before involving dealers from abroad.

The Perfect Match

After several blind tests (see articles below), the Guadagnini has proven to be an enormous asset for both Carla and the collection. The Guadagnini is an exceptionally valuable instrument. The foundation will now have to pull out all the stops to make this purchase a reality.

The Musical Instrument Fund is therefore looking for a private individual (or foundation) who would be willing to donate (part of) the required amount.

Are you interested in contributing to this special instrument and Carla Leurs’s future?

At the Musical Instrument Fund, we place a high priority on personal contact. Both the fund and Carla are willing to engage in dialogue with the benefactor to discuss their wishes and the possibilities for building a lasting relationship. Please contact Manon Veenendaal (director). We would be happy to discuss this with you—completely without obligation, of course.

About Carla Leurs

Carla has performed all over the world, including at Carnegie Hall as part of the “Artist International Series” and in the “New Masters on Tour” series in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Tallinn. She has performed as a soloist with orchestras throughout Europe, the U.S., and Asia, including Les Solistes Européens and the Basel Symphony Orchestra, collaborating with renowned conductors such as Carlos Kalmar, Vassily Sinaisky, Ed Spanjaard, and Jan de Willem de Vriend.

As a chamber musician, she has performed at renowned festivals alongside musicians such as Itzhak Perlman, Vilde Frang, Liza Ferschtman, Nicolas Altstaed, Sol Gabetta, and members of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and the Berlin Philharmonic.

She also served for many years as (guest) concertmaster with various orchestras, including the London Philharmonic, the BBC Philharmonic, Orquestra Sinfónica de Barcelona, the Rotterdam Philharmonic, the Radio Philharmonic, the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, and for many years as principal concertmaster of the Orkest van het Oosten.

Carla studied at the Juilliard School with Itzhak Perlman and Donald Weilerstein, where she won the Juilliard Competition. She was a laureate at international competitions in Korea, the U.S., and Switzerland, as well as at various competitions in the Netherlands.

In addition to her solo career, Carla seeks ways to connect people with the wondrous fantasy world of classical music, visiting all kinds of unusual venues, from pop festivals to refugee camps.