Norway’s Dextra Musica Presents Instruments Advent Calendar

The organization has curated an advent calendar with each day featuring an instrument made by famed luthiers

A subsidiary organization, Dextra Musica was formed by Norway’s DNB Savings Bank Foundation in 2006 as a collection of some of the world’s prominent stringed instruments, which are loaned to established and emerging Norwegian musicians. 

Now housing over 100 instruments, Dextra Musica has released a Christmas calendar of famed stringed instruments from its Master to Master exhibition at the National Museum held in February 2023. 

Each of the calendar’s 24 days includes the instrument, an audio sample of it being played by a professional artist, and a brief history of its maker.

Featured violins include Stradivari’s 1689 “Duc di Litta, Arditi,” played by Elise Båtnes; a 1754 Guadagnini made in Milan, played by Sara Övinge; and a Vuillaume c.1848-1850, played by Ingerine Dahl.

Others include the 1710 Gofriller viola, played by Magnus Boye Hansen; a Gofriller c.1740 cello, played by Øyvind Gimse; A Bergonzi c.1735 “Kreisler, Perlman,” violin played by Guro Kleven Hagen

The calendar also features Andrea Guarneri’s 1676 “Conte Vitale” viola, played by Eivind Ringstad; a 1690 Hieronymus Amati II double bass, played by Kenneth Ryland; and an intricately carved 1898 Hardanger fiddle made by Anders Christian Kleven, and played by Helga Myhr.

To view the entire calendar, click here.