A violin made by the famous Antonio Stradivari in 1714 could become the most expensive musical instrument ever sold when it goes up for auction at Sotheby’s in New York. The auction house estimates the value of the Joachim-Ma Stradivarius between 12 and 18 million dollars. Proceeds from the auction will be used to establish the largest named scholarship in the school's history.
Eighty-eight years after Joachim's historic performance, violinist and educator Si-Hon Ma purchased the instrument with the profits from his invention of the Sihon mute. If sold at the high end of that range, it could surpass the 15.9 million dollars paid in 2011 for another Stradivarius, the Lady Blunt.
The violin has been donated to the New England Conservatory by Ma's estate. The school, which was the first independent music conservatory in the U.S., has been using the instrument selectively since then. According to Mari-Claudia Jimenez, president and global business development head at Sotheby’s, "This violin can be played tomorrow and enjoyed not just as a beautiful piece of art, but as a functional instrument."
The Joachim-Ma Stradivarius is named after its most famous owners, violin virtuosos Joseph Joachim and Si-Hon Ma. Built during Antonio Stradivari's "golden era," around 1700, this violin represents the peak of his production, according to Jiménez of Sotheby’s.
The violin has an extraordinary ownership history and its preservation is remarkable. This unique instrument in its rarity and pristine condition was performed by Joachim in 1879 at the premiere of Johannes Brahms' Violin Concerto in D major, considered one of the most influential musicians of the 19th century. The violin was given to the New England Conservatory with the condition that at some point it could be sold to support student scholarships, and that moment has arrived.
According to Andrea Kalyn, president of NEC, "A small number of students have played it over the years, and it has been an extraordinary experience for them." With the auction of the Joachim-Ma Stradivarius, it is expected that the largest named scholarship in the school's history will be established, thus fulfilling the wish to support music education through the sale of this valuable instrument.
