History of the Society

The Stradivari Society® was founded in Chicago in 1985 through the efforts of Geoffrey Fushi, Mary Galvin, a generous patron, and a special request by the distinguished violin pedagogue Dorothy DeLay of The Juilliard School. Ms. DeLay felt that an exceptional ten-year-old student had the potential to be an international star and needed the best possible instrument to help launch her career. Ms. DeLay proposed that her student be given the opportunity to play an exceptional violin by Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù of 1735, known as the "David," for a potential patron. The audition was a success and the instrument was loaned to the young violinist. Thanks to the dedication of her teacher and the ideal combination of her extraordinary talent and this remarkable instrument, the young girl's career flourished and The Stradivari Society® was born. So fruitful was the student's career that after several years she was able to purchase the instrument from her patron. Today Midori is one of the most sought-after of violin soloists and has been a Stradivari Society® patron herself with the loan of her three-quarter-size Gagliano violin.

Geoffrey Fushi with Joshua Bell in the Great Room at Bein & Fushi.

Encouraged by the results of this endeavor, the founders actively searched out additional instruments for other deserving artists. The program then expanded to include cellists when another charitable patron loaned a then unknown Matt Haimowitz his Giuseppe Guarneri figlio d'Andrea cello. Violinists Dylana Jensen and Leonidas Kavakos were also assisted with the use of outstanding Stradivari violins at a crucial stage in their development. The Japanese violinists Kyoko Takezawa and Asako Urushihara are two more young artists the Society was able to help at the advent of their exceptional solo and recording careers.

In 1989, fueled by the growing need among promising young musicians and the interest among potential patrons worldwide, The Stradivari Society® formally came into being. At that time, one of the Society's patrons purchased the "Princess de Polignac" Stradivari violin of 1699 for use by the 17-year-old violinist who had substituted to great acclaim, on only one day's notice, for the ailing Itzhak Perlman with the London Philharmonic. As a result of that performance, young Gil Shaham's career was launched. Like Midori's before him, Gil's career reached a level of success that enabled him to purchase the "Princess de Polignac" Stradivari from his patron. The eminent soloist Joshua Bell benefited from the Society's loan of the "Tom Taylor" Stradivari violin of 1732 for several years until he too was able to purchase this beautiful example from his patron.

Violinist Wayne Lin, Suzanne Fushi, Geoffrey Fushi, violinist and recipient Vadim Repin, and Alec Fushi in Bein & Fushi's Great Room after Repin's master class

Thanks to its generous patrons, the Society has become a valued resource in the classical music community. Many distinguished teachers and artists have brought their most promising students to the Society: Leila Josefowicz, then a student of Robert Lipsett, became a recipient at the age of ten after Society Director Suzanne Fushi heard her in performance. Sarah Chang was loaned the "Sennhauser" Guarneri del Gesù violin of 1735 at the beginning of her career while she was still a student of Dorothy DeLay at The Juilliard School. Conductor and pianist Daniel Barenboim suggested Israeli violinist Nikolaj Znaider, and Itzhak Perlman recommended Russian violinist Ilya Gringolts, both of whom became recipients.