Michael Hill Comp Laureate To Be Awarded Use of ‘Ex Christian Ferras’ Amati Violin

It has been announced that 1 of the 6 prize winners at this year’s Michael Hill International Violin Competition will be awarded the 2 year loan of the 1645 'Ex Christian Ferras' Amati violin

It has been announced today that 1 of the 6 prize winners at this year’s Michael Hill International Violin Competition, in Auckland, New Zealand, will be awarded the 2 year loan of the 1645 Ex Christian Ferras grand pattern Nicolò Amati violin - on generous loan from a benefactor in Europe and the Rare Violins In Consortium, in New York.

Founded by Bruno Price and Ziv Arazi from Rare Violins of New York, In Consortium was started in October of last year to provide the infrastructure to allow benefactors, investors and fine instrument owners effortless and safe collaboration with young concert artists.

Previous recipients from the Rare Violins InConsortium collection include 18-year-old VC Young Artist Nathan Meltzer, who currently performs on the 1734 Ames/Totenberg Stradivari - and 18-year-old VC Young Artist Kevin Zhu, who currently performs on the 1722 Ex-Lord Wandsworth Stradivari.

“We are looking for someone here in Auckland this week who obviously needs this fine instrument … plus who we feel will benefit the most from its use …” Rare Violins In Consortium Company Chairman, Bruno Price has told The Violin Channel.

“It’s a powerful instrument with a very unique voice, so it is not automatically most suited to the 1st prize winner here ... we want it to go to whichever laureate we feel it will have the biggest impact on their career and on their long term musical life and development,” he has said.

“In Consortium was started as a way to get more great instruments into the hands of more great players and we've seen in the past young players absolutely blossoming when given the opportunity to have a truly great instrument in their hands for a number of years … " Chief Executive Officer, Ziv Arazi has said.

The new ‘Arancio Prize’, named after the instrument's current owner, will be presented following the Grand Final of the 2019 Michael Hill International Violin Competition, in Auckland - on Saturday evening.