Christmas concert features $6-million violin
When violinist Emma Meinrenken takes the stage in Niagara-on-the-Lake Dec. 9, she’ll be carrying some precious cargo.
The award-winning musician is one of the 2018 recipients of Canada Council’s Musical Instrument Bank. Her prize? Borrowing a $6-million 1689 Baumgartner Stradivarius for a while.
The prized instrument will be in her hands when she joins Buffalo’s Vocalis Chamber Choir at St. Mark’s Church for a Music Niagara Christmas concert. According to the Canada Council for the Arts, the early period Strad was used in several recordings by the Bath Festival Orchestra, and changed hands a few times until it was bequeathed to University of Western Ontario in 1986. In 1997, it was purchased by an anonymous buyer.
Only appropriate it ends up in Meinrenken’s hands, who once finished in first place at the Stradivarius International Violin Competition. She made her debut at age 10 with Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and counts Music Niagara artistic director Atis Bankas among her former teachers. It may be a loaner, but Meinrenken can’t wait to share the vintage Strad in Niagara-onthe-Lake.
“The vibrant quality of tone combined with the breadth of range attainable on a Stradivarius violin makes it a memorable experience both to play and to hear,” she says. “I’m looking forward to making music with this very special instrument.”
Meinrenken is studying at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia.
The Vocalis Chamber Choir was founded in 2002 by James Burrit, performing in unique Buffalo and area landmarks for 17 seasons.
The Dec. 9 concert, running 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., will be a collection of traditional a cappella Christmas music. Tickets are $25, available at www.musicniagara.org.
St. Mark’s Church is at 41 Byron St.