A sweet sound worth millions

Music

Violinist Sophie Rowell marked the return of South Australia's precious Guadagnini violin last month when she performed a lunchtime concert at Elder Hall on June 2.

Playing the exquisite 255-year-old violin, Sophie joined cellist Janis Laurs and pianist Lucinda Collins to perform the "Piano Trio Op 50" by Tchaikovsky.

The Guadagnini violin, worth up to $1million, is a delicate and warm-toned instrument, made by J.B. Guadagnini in Milan in 1751. It is the same maker and year as the violin owned by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia on loan to Richard Tognetti, leader of the Australian Chamber Orchestra.

The Guadagnini has been assigned to Sophie on a long-term loan, following her return from Europe where she has lived for the past two and a half years.

Sophie begins her life back in Adelaide as a guest concert master with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra (ASO), as well as continuing to lead the Tankstream violin quartet, and undertaking her Performance PhD at the Elder Conservatorium, dedicated to Beethoven's 10 violin sonatas.

In 2007 Sophie will also lead the 'new' Australian String Quartet, ensuring South Australians will be able to hear the magnificent Guadagnini on a regular basis.

The 2000 ABC Young Performer of the Year moved to Berlin in 2004, after winning a chance to study with the world famous Alban Berg Quartet in Cologne, Germany.

The Guadagnini, which is managed by the SA Guadagnini Trust, has only changed hands four times since the residents of South Australia bought it for £1750 through public subscription in 1955.

It was originally purchased for the South Australian violinist Carmel Hakendorf in the 1950s. Since then it has been loaned to William Hennessy and, more recently, violin virtuoso Jane Peters.

Ms Peters took custody of the Guadagnini in 1993. For the past few years the instrument has been based in Rouen, France, where Ms Peters now lives.

Trust member and Elder Professor at the Elder Conservatorium of Music, Charles Bodman Rae, travelled to France last December to collect the violin from Ms Peters.

The Guadagnini is insured by the State Government, through ArtsSA, who have also provided a new, high-quality case and top-class bow.

"The trustees are very grateful to the State Government for their support in the payment of the insurance premiums and provision of the new case and bow," Professor Bodman Rae said.

He described Sophie as "a real catch" for the University's new PhD by examination in musical performance. "Sophie holds a Commonwealth APA scholarship and is a performer with a national and international profile," he said.

Story by Candy Gibson