Rare Violins of New York’s “In Consortium” Loans Two Instruments 

Oliver Neubauer and VC Artist Hina Khuong-Huu have been loaned a Stradivari and a Guarneri violin

 

Founded by Bruno Price and Ziv Arazi from Rare Violins of New York, “In Consortium,” is a long-term rare instrument loan platform created to match dedicated benefactors with exceptionally promising young string soloists.

VC Artist Hina Khuong-Huu, 19, has received the c.1722 “Lord Wandsworth” Antonio Stradivari, made in Cremona; 24-year-old Oliver Neubauer has been loaned the c.1725 “Milstein” Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù, also made in Cremona. Both instruments are also loaned through the Ryuji Ueno foundation.

First-prize winner of the 2023 Elmar Oliveira International Violin Competition, Hina has performed solo with the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Geneva, Flanders Symphony Orchestra, Mittel Europa Orchestra, the Musica Mundi Orchestra, plus collaborated with GRAMMY-winning artists including Jennifer Koh and Maxim Vengerov.

A recent recipient of the Salon De Virtuosi Career Grant and mentored by Shlomo Mintz, Vadim Gluzman, and Menahem Pressler, Hina studies with Li Lin and Itzhak Perlman at The Juilliard School and Columbia University through their double degree program. 

She previously played on a 1753 J.B. Guadagnini — on generous loan from an anonymous collector. 

“It goes without saying — but incredible! It’s truly an honor to be part of a historic lineage of violinists who have had the privilege of having this instrument in their hands,” Hina told The Violin Channel. “It is such a pinch-me, dreamlike moment getting to pick up this amazing instrument and play it everyday!! I am so grateful to the Ryuji Ueno Foundation and Rare Violins In Consortium, Artists and Benefactors Collaborative for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. 

“Playing the ‘Lord Wandsworth’ presents me with endless discoveries in colors and nuance! In a way, I feel as if the violin is teaching me,” she added. “It gives me bursts of inspiration that I wouldn’t get otherwise. And truthfully, it is so much fun to discover all it has to offer and certainly provides a productive framework that (I hope) allows my playing to grow. Most importantly, I know that playing such an instrument comes with great responsibility, one that will push me to make sure I am at the level to uphold the standard that this amazing violin demands!”

 

First-prize winner of the 2023 Susan Wadsworth Young Concert Artists International Auditions and recipient of performance prizes from the Buffalo Chamber Music Society, Sunday Musicale, and the Stissing Center, Oliver Neubauer is managed worldwide by Young Concert Artists.

As a soloist, he has appeared with the National Repertory Orchestra, Sound Symphony Orchestra, New York Concerti Sinfonietta, and Symphony of Westchester, and has been featured on WQXR’s Young Artist Showcase; His collaborators have included Perlman, Carter Brey, Fred Sherry, Ani Kavafian, Shai Wosner, Jason Vieaux, Ulysses Quartet, and the Dover Quartet.

A recipient of Juilliard’s Kovner Fellowship, Neubauer currently studies with Li Lin and Donald Weilerstein. He has also attended the Dalton School, Juilliard Pre-College, and the Perlman Music Program. Previous teachers include Perlman, Sophie Arbuckle, and Arik Braude. He previously played a 1780 J.B. Guadagnini violin on loan to him from The Juilliard String Instrument Collection.

“It is a tremendous honor and gift to be loaned such an extraordinary instrument as the ‘Milstein’ Guarneri Del Gesù,” Neubauer told The Violin Channel. “Just holding an instrument of such quality knowing that it was played by one of the great violinists of the 20th century feels very surreal! I feel extremely grateful to Rare Violins of New York and Dr. Ryuji Ueno for their remarkable generosity and vision in making this opportunity possible.

“I feel this violin is an ideal match that will help me share more generously and powerfully with audiences moving forward,” he continued. “Playing a violin of such depth and range of color is an amazing learning opportunity, and I’m so excited to continue to grow and develop my artistic voice with this new partner. In terms of my career, this loan was truly perfect timing as it gives me time to fully get to know the nuances of this instrument before my Young Concert Artists debuts next year.”

 

The current instrument loans from “In Consortium” include:

Gil Shaham: Antonio Stradivari, “Ex-Haupt,” Cremona 1719

VC Artist Kevin Zhu: Antonio Stradivari, “Ex-Petri,” Cremona c.1700

VC Artist Sophie Lee: Antonio Stradivari, “Ames,” Cremona 1734

VC Artist Sirena Huang: Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù, “Kortschak,” Cremona 1739

VC Artist Stella Chen: Antonio Stradivari, “General Kyd,” Cremona c.1720

VC Artist Jenny Jin: Domenico Montagnana, Venice c.1735-39 (with The Michael Hill Competition)

Michael Shaham: Santino Lavazza, Milan c.1714

Phoenix Avalon (member of VC Artist Isidore String Quartet): Giovanni Bauttista Guadagnini, “Birkitt,” Milan 1753

Joshua McClendon (member of VC Artist Isidore String Quartet): Giovanni Grancino cello, Milan c.1695-1700

VC Artist Hina Khuong-Huu: Antonio Stradivari, “Lord Wandsworth,” Cremona c.1722

Oliver Neubauer: Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù, “Milstein,” Cremona c.1725