Camerata Enters Golden Age With Loan Of Golden Period Stradivarius

Manchester Camerata will soon be serenading audiences with the sound of a 1709 Stradivarius thanks to a generous loan by benefactor Jonathan Moulds, President of Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s European business.

Click on the link to hear leader Giovanni Guzzo put the Strad through its paces and find out more about this rare instrument on BBC North West Tonight.

The instrument will be played by Giovanni while on extended loan to the Manchester Camerata. Only a handful of orchestras world-wide are privileged to have a Stradivarius of this quality for their leader to play.

Jonathan Moulds was born and raised in Halifax, West Yorkshire and is now a keen philanthropist.  He comments, “I hope my investment in the Manchester Camerata at this critical time will shine a spotlight on this outstanding orchestra. I continue to support those Institutions I believe not only have leadership and talent of exceptional calibre, but wish to engage more broadly with the local communities.  I believe the Camerata is a very good example of this.”

The Stradivarius was made in 1709 during the violin maker’s ‘golden period’ (1700-1723). It was during this period of time that Stradivarius produced many of the most outstanding and priceless instruments which exist today.  Manchester Camerata itself is entering its own golden period under the inspirational guidance of the renowned Hungarian musician Gábor Takács-Nagy.  The appointment of Giovanni Guzzo alongside Takács-Nagy has created a dynamic music making partnership which, alongside the outstanding musicians already in the Camerata’s ranks, has taken the orchestra’s playing to another level.

Moulds, well known as a major patron of the Arts, is also well known for loaning violins to talented young violinists, including Scottish-born violinist Nicola Benedetti.

Camerata’s Chief Executive Bob Riley believes that the orchestra’s commitment to changing lives through the power of live music chimes with Moulds’s own personal philosophy –  ‘if a child in Wigan, Longsight, Blacon or Rochdale has an opportunity to see and experience music and in particular the sound of one of the highest quality violins in the world, then we hope that this eye and ear-opening experience will inspire them to make music themselves ’.

*For future opportunities to hear Gábor Takacs-Nagy, Giovanni Guzzo (plus Stradivarius), and Manchester Camerata in action visit the concerts section