Mari Poll-Novakovic plays on a Foundation’s violin made by Naples’ luthiers Nicola and Joseph Gagliano. In 2023, the fine instrument held its 300th birthday as it was crafted in 1723.

The Estonian Foundation of Musical Instruments (Eesti Pillifond) and TRINITI Law Firm have partnered to offer innovative solutions for investing in rare stringed instruments in the private sector. In addition to individual investing, there are now opportunities for consortium investing, such as jointly acquiring rare stringed instruments with a group of friends, work colleagues, or a society. Investing in a fine instrument with significant musical value not only fosters the development of promising local talent but also presents a fixed-return investment opportunity.

Jason Price is the founder of Tarisio, an acclaimed auction house specialising in historical stringed instruments. As an experienced entrepreneur and violin expert, Price has conducted countless auctions over the past 20 years, with total sales of over $303 million. Last year, he successfully sold a Stradivarius violin, ‘da Vinci, ex-Seidel’, for $15.3 million.

Over the past year, the Estonian Foundation of Musical Instruments has organised seminar events focusing on investing in historical stringed instruments. Last September, Anders Bjørnsen, head of the Sparebankstiftelsen Norway art collection, gave a presentation at the seminar held at Eesti Pank.

The Estonian Foundation of Musical Instruments has announced collaboration with Dextra fond of DNB Bank of Norway to exchange experiences and provide opportunities for musicians to perform in exchange concerts.

The rare stringed instruments from the collection of the Estonian Foundation of Musical Instruments will be played by our top musicians at several concerts.

Hans Christian Aavik who plays on the Maggini violin belonging to the Sapožnin family, won the 1st prize at the Carl Nielsen International competition. He also won a special prize for the best performance of the mandatory piece, as well as the awards of the Odense and Copenhagen Orchestra.

An international series of trainings was opened on the 2nd of March in the instrument workshop of the master Raivo Hiiemaa. The Estonian Foundation of Musical Instruments, decision of the Council, allows for six future instrument makers to start studies. They will acquire the required knowledge and skills, under the most valued instrument masters of Finland and Sweden.

Iris Eva Aabloo, Hanna Maria Semper, Teodor Juko Hiiemaa, Karmen Urb, Grettel Erik and Martin Chhabra will start studies, according to the decision of the Council of the Estonian Foundation of Musical Instruments, in the international training of instrument experts.

The cello bow made by the master Victor Fétique in 1930, was given by the decision of the Council of the Estonian Foundation of Musical Instruments, for three years into the use of Valle-Rasmus Roots.

The entrepreneur Vladimir Sapožnin, with whose support to the collection of the Instrument Foundation, was acquired the precious bow, delivered the bow to the violinist Hans Christian Aavik, prior to the concert yesterday “Virtuoosid meisterpillidel” (Virtuosos on master instruments) that took place at the Kadriorg Art Museum. The violin bow was made in about 1930, by the French master Victor Fétique.

Maestro Paavo Järvi prior to the Pärnu Music Festival concert “Eesti Pillifondi kõla” (The sound of the Estonian Foundation of Musical Instruments), delivered to the interpreters playing on the string instruments of the Estonian Foundation of Musical Instruments, historical instrument bows. The total value of the six bows made in the 19th-20th centuries, by French masters is in excess of 100 000 euro.

The musicians and experts of the Estonian Foundation of Musical Instruments last week visited the Vatlot-Rampal agency of historical string instruments and bows in Paris, where from among the bows made by French masters, six historical bows were selected that have a total value of more than 100 000 euro.

Hans Christian Aavik, who since 2017 is playing on the violin, built by the Italian instrument maker Giovanni Paolo Maggini, which is part of the collection of the Instrument Foundation, achieved first prize in the soloist category, at the international competition “Cadenza Contest”.

The financial prize of the awarded place is accompanied by a concert, in the 2021/2022 season, at a concert hall in Europe, chosen by Cadenza Contest Management.

The cello that was in 1842 built by the master Auguste Sébastien Bernardeli (Père), by the decision of the council of experts of the Estonian Foundation of Musical Instruments, was given for use for three years, to the principal cellist of the ENSO, Theodor Sink. Theodor Sink received the right to use the cello, for the first time in 2018.

Hans Christian Aavik won the first prize in the demanding competition for Estonian string instrument musicians that follows international traditions. He was additionally awarded a special prize for the best performance of a work by Eduard Tubin. Klassikaraadio recognized the young violinist with the Foundation recording special prize at the Estonian Public Broadcasting. The student of the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Frankfurt am Main, Hans Christian Aavik, also received award concerts. A possibility to perform as a soloist with the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra opened and he will perform next spring in the concert series “Lossimuusika” (Castle music).

Valle-Rasmus Roots, playing on a cello that belongs to the collection of the Estonian Foundation of Musical Instruments, received the third prize at the Estonian string instrument competition, as well as two special awards: for the best performance of the capriccio by A. Piatti and the special award of Audio Maja, for a convincing performance and excellent tone.

The duo, violinist Hans Christian Aavik and pianist Karolina Žukova, reached the finals, at the Ilmar Hannikainen piano chamber music competition in Jyväskyla. Hans Christian Aavik received recognition and a diploma for artistic maturity and technical skills, with the jury members of the competition giving very good resonance for the characteristics of the violin’s sound.

The expert council of the Estonian Foundation of Musical Instruments, has given Robert Traksmann the right of use of the nearly 240 year old, unique violin, built by the brothers Giuseppe Joseph and Antonio Gagliano. Giuseppe is the most valued master from the Gagliano dynasty of violin makers of Naples. Additionally he was given the right to use the violin bow, made in the year 1890 by the Parisian master Vigneron Joseph Artur.

On the 28th of November, a concert of historical instruments built by masters took place at the Estonian Embassy in Helsinki.

On the 26th of November, a seminar introducing the investment into historical string instruments was organised by the Estonian Foundation of Musical Instruments and Swedbank, at the Hotel Telegraaf, where also the sound features of the valuable string instruments were heard.

The new concert series “The Treasures of the Instruments Foundation” of Eesti Kontsert presents young talented Estonian interprets who have access to valuable string instruments through the Estonian Foundation of Musical Instruments. At the moment, there are ten violin, viola or cello players in Estonia who have the opportunity to play on those high-value, best instruments.

On the 13th of September, already the second seminar on investing in historical string instruments took place. The Estonian Foundation of Musical Instruments and Swedbank took the lead role at the seminar. The highly acclaimed string instrument expert, John Dilworth, from Great Britain made a presentation.

The Estonian Foundation of Musical Instruments collection has been increased by a nearly 250 year old violin made by Giuseppe Joseph Gagliano, the most appreciated master of the Gagliano dynasty from Naples. The dignified instrument is the tenth in the collection of historical string instruments owned by the Instrument Foundation. The collection has a total value in excess of 1.6 million Euros.

On the 23rd of January, for the first time in Estonia, an investment seminar took place, during which experts from Germany and Finland introduced the possibilities, to companies, for investing in rare string instruments.

In the year 2018 the Estonian Foundation of Musical Instruments started a project for training instrument makers and businesses with funding from Enterprise Estonia.

During the study sessions in Estonia and abroad, future instrument makers receive knowledge and skills about constructing instruments, materials, care, etc. Throughout the world, instrument makers work as entrepreneurs and therefore in addition to gaining knowledge about the field, necessary skills for managing a company are also learned.

The oldest instrument used for the concert was a violin made by the Italian master Giovanni Paola Maggini approximately in the year 1610, which currently belongs to the Sapožnin family. The instrument is currently used by Hans Christian Aavik who is studying at the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts.

On May 23rd the musically inclined had a rare opportunity to listen to a string instrument concert with performers using the Instrument Foundation’s historical instruments in the white hall of Rakvere’s municipal government building. The concert was preceded by a reception where the guests were welcomed by the mayor Marko Torm, Estonian Foundation of Musical Instruments director Marje Lohuaru and the Instrument Foundation’s investor Maivi Kaljuvee.

On March 9th 2018 the valuable, historical cello added to the Instrument Foundation’s collection was festively presented to the principal cellist Theodor Sink as a fixed-term loan prior to the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra (ENSO) concert. On the same evening the precious instrument’s overtone rich sound could already be heard in the Estonia Concert Hall.

The 17th century precious and legendary violin belonging to the Sapožnin family was added to the Instrument Foundation’s collection. The instrument was used by the Estonian violinist Vladimir „Boba“ Sapožnin throughout his long career. The instrument is one of the most expensive instruments in the Instrument Foundation’s collection. On November 14th 2017 at a festive concert the instrument was loaned on a fixed-term to Hans Christian Aavik who is studying at the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts.

At the thank you concert at Kadriorg Castle all six Instrument Foundation centuries old valuable instruments which had been loaned to date to users could be heard demonstrating their sound nuances.

On December 5th 2016 the Instrument Foundation in cooperation with investors presented the first six historical valuable instruments at the Kadriorg Castle. The board member Marje Lohuaru explained at the event the foundation’s functioning and how the instruments reached the foundation.

On March 12th an Estonian National Symphony Orchestra concert conducted by maestro Paavo Järvi conductor of, Paris, Frankfurt and Tokyo’s NHK symphony orchestras as well as the German Chamber Philharmonic took place at the Estonia Concert Hall.