1757 Guadagnini Violin on Long-Term Loan to Sydney Symphony Orchestra

The Sydney Symphony Orchestra is delighted to announce that long-term supporter, Vicki Olsson, has purchased a 1757 Guadagnini violin which is on long-term loan to the SSO and will be played by Concertmaster Andrew Haveron.

The 258-year-old violin, made by Italian luthier Giovanni Battista Guadagnini, was selected by Mr Haveron over an intense three-week period, during which time he travelled throughout the UK to meet with multiple dealers and makers. After trialling over 30 instruments, Mr Haveron returned to select the very first violin he had tried.

"I arrived at the showroom of the first dealer I'd contacted and he had six instruments on the table for me to try. I picked up the first one, played one note and just thought: Wow!" Mr Haveron said.

"Finding out the histories of all these instruments, where they'd been, who'd played them in the past, was an incredibly interesting process. But in the end I just kept coming back to that first instrument. I had started to develop a real connection with this violin in the sense that it felt as if I already knew it and it already knew me, and it revealed things in my playing of which I didn't know I was capable."

You can watch a video of Andrew Haveron playing the 1757 Guadagnini instrument here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3E9_1Gskpp0

Audiences can hear Andrew Haveron perform on the 1757 Guadagnini violin at the upcoming SSO concerts:

SIBELIUS 2: ROBERTSON CONDUCTS

Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House

Thu 8 Oct, 1.30pm

Fri 9 Oct, 8pm

Sat 10 Oct, 2pm

SCULTHORPE Memento mori

WALTON Violin Concerto

SIBELIUS Symphony No. 2

David Robertson conductor

Andrew Haveron violin

Tickets: $39-$126

MOZART AND THE BRITS

City Recital Hall, Angel Place

Thu 5 Nov, 7pm

MOZART Adagio and Fugue

BRITTEN Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge

ARNOLD Concerto for two violins

Andrew Haveron violin-director

With soloists from the SSO

Tickets: $39-$78