Talent
Carla Leurs
plays a
violin
from Giovanni Battista Guadagnini
from Giovanni Battista Guadagnini
Substantial inheritance
makes the purchase
of a unique Guadagnini violin
possible
Substantial inheritance
makes the purchase
of a unique Guadagnini violin
possible
The Musical Instrument Fund has purchased the most expensive violin in its history. It has become the proud owner of a violin crafted by the Italian luthier Giovanni Battista Guadagnini (1711–1786). The violin, built in Parma in 1770, has been loaned to none other than renowned violinist Carla Leurs. The funding for the violin came from a completely unexpected source for the fund: an estate.
News
6 October 2021
by Frits Schutte
A good instrument challenges musicians and provides a great deal of inspiration. The Music Instrument Fund’s greatest wish was therefore to acquire a violin of the highest quality that could serve as a solo instrument for violinist Carla Leurs. Carla served for many years as concertmaster of the Orkest van het Oosten and, in that capacity, also performed regularly as a soloist. She is known to a wider audience from the TV series *em* *Maestro* .
Old Italian
Manon Veenendaal, director of Het Muziekinstrumentenfonds: “When we heard about Carla’s wish, we explored the possibilities together. For musicians like Carla, it’s impossible to purchase such an instrument with her own funds, even though it’s crucial for her to develop fully as a musician. Carla has tried out many instruments recently and explored a wide range of options, guided by the Music Instrument Fund. On virtually every good antique Italian instrument—as well as a few high-quality modern instruments—she found herself feeling much freer to explore the possibilities of the dynamic range than on her previous violin. In the end, it was mutual love that sealed the deal with this Guadagnini violin.”
Estate
For the Musical Instrument Fund, the purchase of this instrument represents a tremendous addition to the collection. To finance the purchase, the fund was seeking funds. Help came from an unexpected source. Veenendaal: “Three weeks ago, I received a call in the morning from a notary. He had some remarkable news for us. It turned out that a loyal donor to the Musical Instrument Fund had left a sum of money in our care. Now, this does happen from time to time. But with this amount, you could buy a nice apartment in the center of Amsterdam. We have now used that amount to purchase this violin. As you can imagine, the fund and Carla Leurs are immensely grateful to this person. A dream has come true.”
Want to read more?
> A Litmus Test for the Guadagnini Violin
> Sound test at the MuziekHaven: taking a step back
> How Carla and Bas Are Searching for a New Violin (+ video)
