Stay up to date with what you need to know about ’the Olympiad of Violin Making in Cremona’, which runs from 6 September until 13 October 2024

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Photo: Cristian Chiodelli for MdV

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The 17th International Triennial Violin Making Competition ’Antonio Stradivari’ is set to begin from 6 September until 13 October at Cremona’s Museo del Violino.

315 makers from 37 countries will compete in this year’s competition, which will involve over 400 instruments divided over violin, viola, cello and double bass categories. 

The jury for this year’s competition will be presided by Paolo Bodini and comprises musicians Fabrizio von Arx, Daniel Rubenstein, Alberto Salomon, Dan Sloutskovski and Mirella Vedeva Ruaux, plus luthiers Ulrich Hinsberger, Massimo Negroni, Benjamin Ruth, Elisa Scrollavezza and Gao Tong Tong.

Only new instruments made after 2021 and consistent with traditional, classical violin making will be admitted. From 9 to 25 September the instruments will be judged by the jury on their combination of acoustic excellence with high-quality craftsmanship.

The Giovanni Arvedi Auditorium will be the home of the preliminary and final acoustic tests, the closing stages of which will be open to the public and held on Sunday 22 September. 

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Photo: Cristian Chiodelli for MdV

The winners will be announced on Wednesday 25 September, during a gala evening at the Ponchielli Theatre, where the performers in the jury will perform on the best instruments.

The instruments will then be exhibited in the Andrea Amati pavillion of the Museo del Violino from 26 September to 13 October. 

Those awarded with a gold medal will be purchased by the Museo del Violino Foundation and will enter the permanent collection of contemporary violin making. The winning violin and viola will be purchased for €16,000 each, while the winning cello and double bass will fetch €26,000 and €28,000 respectively. The winning makers of the instruments will also receive a diploma of honour.

Additionally, in a celebration of contemporary violin making, instruments by Antonio Stradivari will be joined by three violin winners of previous editions of the competition, the instruments of Nicolas Bonet (2018), Ulrich Hinsberger (2012) and Marko Pennanen (2009), during Sunday audition sessions in September.

An exclusive range of instrument making posters, books, calendars and information products published by and directly for sale from The Strad.

Posters

The Strad’s exclusive instrument posters, most with actual-size photos depicting every nuance of the instrument. Our posters are used by luthiers across the world as models for their own instruments, thanks to the detailed outlines and measurements on the back.

Books

The number one source for a range of books covering making and stringed instruments with commentaries from today’s top instrument experts.

Calendars

American collector David L. Fulton amassed one of the 20th century’s finest collections of stringed instruments. This year’s calendar pays tribute to some of these priceless treasures, including Yehudi Menuhin’s celebrated ‘Lord Wilton’ Guarneri, the Carlo Bergonzi once played by Fritz Kreisler, and four instruments by Antonio Stradivari.