Latest posts
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung: Amati Cello Sold to Met Museum, NY
The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung’s September 2023 edition covered our sale of the Amaryllis Fleming Amati cello to the Met Museum in New York.
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Kronberg 2023: Pop-up Showroom
Join us in Kronberg for our exciting pop-up showroom event, from the 20th September until the 4th October 2023.
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Violins as Investments in the Press
A collection of articles discussing the benefits of fine instruments as investment pieces, and how the market has evolved over the years.
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Discovering the FLFV violin making process with the Epoch Times
Take a journey through Florian Leonhard’s creative process, workshop and life story with this article published by the Epoch Times.
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FLFV Features in the UK Chinese Journal
Florian Leonhard meets with the UK Chinese Journal to share his story, from his childhood in Mittenwald, Germany, through to his London-based dealership and workshop.
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Florian Joins Philharmonia Orchestra’s Board
The UK’s Philharmonia Orchestra’s chairman, Michael Hoffman, welcomes Florian Leonhard as the latest member of their Board of Trustees.
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Discussing violins as investments with The Mail on Sunday
Florian offers his insights on fine violins as investments and syndicates as a cost-effective entry step into investing in fine instruments.
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Lark Music: “Florian thinks with his hands”
Read Florian Leonhard’s interview with Lark Music Insurance. From his childhood in Dusseldorf, through to setting up his own business in London, Florian and his mother Christel discuss Florian’s road to success.
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Reuniting Sheku Kanneh-Mason with Amati Cello
The story of how FLFV loaned Sheku Kanneh-Mason a rare 400-year old Amati cello for the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition, which Sheku went on to win on this instrument. Through the help of FLFV, a secret benefactor was found to purchase the cello for Sheku’s use indefinitely.
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Presenting Violins at the Joseph-Joachim Violin Competition
Florian Leonhard presents five antique violins, valued at €20 million, at the Joseph-Joachim Violin Competition in Hannover. A conversation about antique prices, ‘sleeper’ instruments and whether antique or modern instruments are better.
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The Benefits of Investing in Antique Instruments
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung covers how investing in a Stradivarius violin means you can promote new musical talent, whilst generating a healthy return on your investment.
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Better with Age: Investing in Antique Stringed Instruments
With nearly 40 clients in Hong Kong, Florian shares the virtues of investing in stringed instruments with PEAK Magazine. “A violin gets better and better… It’s a no-brainer to put some money in this asset class”.
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Collectibles: An integral part of wealth
How do collectibles and financial assets co-exist and complement each other in private wealth, what makes great collections, and how can specialists avoid the pitfalls and tackle the key challenges of collecting?
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Florian on the jury for prestigious Chieti Classica Cello competition in Italy July 2023
Florian looks forward with great excitement to being a jury member for this year’s Chieti Classica Cello Competition in Italy 20 – 22 July 2023.
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Leandro Bisiach, through his archive
No other family in modern Italian violinmaking is as intriguing as the Bisiachs, allowing us to narrate the history of Italy from the post-unification decades to almost the entire twentieth century through the events of their lives.
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Florian studies a rare Guarneri del Gesù violin
We caught up with Florian for a rare insight into his certification process.
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The Grand Ducal Court restorers of stringed instruments in late 18th century Florence
The violin making legacy in Tuscany is grounded in a deeply rooted tradition that has attracted the attention of violin making enthusiasts since the late nineteenth century.
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‘The Makers of Tuscany’ launches at Mondomusica
Joined by everyone who’s anyone in the violin business, the book launch of Florian Leonhard’s ‘The Makers of Tuscany’ exceeded expectations in Mondomusica, Cremona, last week.
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The 1928 Foderà violin: a Florian Leonhard description
When observing this violin by Ercole Foderà, the first thing that stands out is the rather thin, but beautifully coloured, orange/red varnish that has slightly penetrated the wood.
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New Light on Ercole Foderà (Palermo 1895 – Ragusa 1976)
Ercole Foderà is still a relatively unknown maker. Although his production of bowed instruments is of the highest quality, little is known about his life.
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Florian received an honorary commendation from the Hungarian Instrument Makers’ Association
Florian received an honorary commendation from the Hungarian Instrument Makers’ Association at the 2022 Nemessáyni Competition, at which he was president of the jury.
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Hayoung Choi, winner the 2022 Queen Elizabeth Cello Competition!
We were delighted to loan Hayoung a superb Bergonzi cello which she used throughout the competition, winning the First Prize, Queen Mathilde Prize, as well as the International Queen Elizabeth Grand Prize.
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Team Tuesdays series launched.
We started a series of interviews with our staff, released on Tuesdays on our social media channels, giving us new insights into our wonderful team.
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This year Florian celebrates 40 years in the violin business.
On our social media channels we revisited some of Florian’s memories (with photographs!) through his progression from violin making student to world-leading expert.
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Sheku Kanneh-Mason united with Goffriller cello purchase by a syndicate for his exclusive use!
Sheku Kanneh-Mason will be playing on a superb c.1700 Venetian cello by Matteo Goffriller.
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Sheku Kanneh-Mason releases new album
Recorded on the 1610 Amati cello we were delighted to permanently reunite with Sheku in 2016, we would like to congratulate Sheku on the release of his brand-new album. Elgar.
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Q&A with the Florian Leonhard Fine Violins Team
If you’re interested in violin making, expertise and restoration and would like a true insight into our world, read our blog for expert answers from our recent social media Q&A session.
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Nancy Zhou plays launch party to celebrate our new premises in New York
Florian Leonhard Fine Violins has moved into new premises in New York which will include a new workshop. Violinist Nancy Zhou gave an inspiring and mesmerising performance at a launch party to celebrate the move.
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Royal College of Music role for Florian Leonhard Fine Violins
Florian Leonhard Fine Violins has been appointed as the Royal College of Music’s official Expert and Luthier for Stringed Instruments.
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Steven Isserlis masterclass & concert with Kanneh-Mason trio and others
It was a pleasure to host a superb masterclass with world-class cellist, Steven Isserlis, earlier this week. During the masterclass, Steven worked with the Kanneh-Mason Trio and the Bukolika piano trio.
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Florian Leonhard teams up with International Classical Artists
Florian Leonhard Fine Violins is proud to be part of International Classical Artists. Below is an article by Andrew Green about the new relationship.
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Stradivarius loaned to Syrian refugee Rami for Royal Albert Hall debut
Florian Leonhard Fine Violins is delighted to loan the 1690 ‘Stephens’ Stradivarius to Syrian violinist Rami for his Royal Albert Hall debut.
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Florian Leonhard Fine Violins & the Cooper Competition Winner
Congratulations to our friend Johan Dalene on winning the 2017 Thomas and Evon Cooper International Competition.
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Florian Leonhard Fine Violins to feature at U.S competitions and festivals
Florian Leonhard Fine Violins has a calendar full of exciting events coming up in the U.S during July.
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Violinist’s joy at being reunited with 1695 Stradivarius violin
Florian Leonhard Fine Violins is delighted to have helped reunite Dutch violinist Thijs Kramer with one of the first Stradivarius violins he ever played.
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Florian Leonhard helps Leonidas Kavakos secure a new Stradivarius
Florian Leonhard Fine Violins are delighted to have helped secure the 1734 ‘Willemotte’ Antonio Stradivari violin for our friend and world-renowned soloist Leonidas Kavakos.
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Florian Leonhard helps Leonidas Kavakos secure the 1734 ‘Willemotte’ Stradivarius
We are delighted to have helped secure the 1734 ‘Willemotte’ Antonio Stradivari violin for our friend and world-renowned soloist Leonidas Kavakos.
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Florian helps reunite Sheku Kanneh-Mason with rare Amati cello
We were delighted to help permanently reunite Sheku Kanneh-Mason with the 1610 Amati cello he played to win the 2016 BBC Young Musician of the Year, with the help of a generous anonymous sponsor based in London.
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VSA Double gold for Gabor Draskoczy
Gabor Draskoczy, who has worked for seven years as our head of new making under Florian’s direction here at Florian Leonard Fine Violins, has won double gold at the Violin Society of America’s 22nd International Competition.
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Florian Fine Violins features on BBC Four Sheku Kanneh-Mason documentary
Our very own sales manager Thomas Wei featured on a BBC Four documentary following Sheku Kanneh-Mason.
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Florian appears on Chinese TV Knews24
Florian was featured on Chinese TV during a recent trip to Shanghai. He talked to reporter Chen Xuan about violin making and may have found a new apprentice!
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The Guardian: “Young Musician winner Sheku Kanneh-Mason is just what classical music needs”
For the full article click here…
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The Menuhin Competition 2016: “The Last Rose of Summer” Opening Played by Maxim Vengerov
For the full article click here…
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Lark Music ‘Notes from the Heart’: “Florian Thinks With His Hands”
For the full article click here…
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The Peak Magazine (Hong Kong) – “Sound Investments”
For the full article click here…
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Tarisio: “Antonio Gragnani and the Tuscan School”
Recent archival research has uncovered much new information about the violin makers of Tuscany, including the prolific and characterful Antonio Gragnani
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Newsweek: “Stradivariuses, the Latest Financial Fiddle”
“According to research by London instrument dealer Florian Leonhard, for the past decade the average Stradivarius has seen its annual price increase by 10.9 percent, and some instruments have recorded up to 20 percent.”
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Mondomusica New York 2014 – The Exhibitors: Florian Leonhard
For the full article click here…
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The Telegraph: “The World of the Violin Maker Florian Leonhard”
“The Telegraph”‘s Ellie Pithers talks with Florian Leonhard about music, his childhood, and matchmaking. Read the full article here…
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Strings Magazine: Philharmonia Orchestra – Board of Trustees
Florian Leonhard is now a member of the Board of Trustees of UK’s Philharmonia Orchestra (“Strings” magazine, 1/2014) “[Leonhard’s] in-depth expertise and experience in the world of classical music in general and fine stringed instruments in particular will prove an invaluable contribution to our board,” Read the full article here…
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