A Far Cry and Reuning & Son Violins present

Stradivari Serenade

New England Conservatory | Friday, March 29, 2024 | 8:00PM

A Far Cry performs a selection of works on 18 of the finest instruments in the world - crafted by the likes of Stradivari, Guarneri, and Amati and hand-selected by Christopher Reuning of Reuning & Son Violins.

Events and Musical Program | Ticket Information | Become a Sponsor
About Reuning & Son Violins | About A Far Cry

Musical Program Includes movements from…

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) | Serenade for Strings (1880)
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1759) | Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, BWV 1043 (1730)
Chuchumbé | Traditional Veracruz (before 1766), arr. Alex Fortes
Sapo Perapaskero aka Taraf de Haïdouks | Turceasca (2009) arr. Osvaldo Golijov & Ljova 
Leoš Janáček (1854-1928) | Idyla for String Orchestra, ILJ 9 (1878)

What makes a Stradivarius great?
Instrument Showcase & Demonstration featuring Christopher and the Criers
What makes all of these instruments great? How, after three centuries, have they stood the test of time? What does it feel like as a musician to play one of these instruments? In a moderated discussion, violin expert Christopher Reuning will guide you through a tour of the instruments on stage while Criers perform short demonstrations and reflect on what it was like selecting instruments to create the ensemble.

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Ticket pricing is outlined below. All orders are non-refundable.

Sponsor this dazzling event and take part in an exclusive evening of fine dining, extraordinary instruments, and spectacular music. As part of your event sponsorship, you are also supporting A Far Cry programming including concerts, commissions, and activities, and creating complimentary tickets opportunities (including this event!) for educational and community partners.

A portion of your contribution toward the evening is tax-deductible. Details can be found on the purchase landing page. If you have any questions about your sponsorship or the event, please email strad@afarcry.org or call us at 617.553.4887.

CREMONA ALL-STARS: $20,000
8 VIP Tickets to the Open Rehearsal, Dinner, Concert, and Reception;
Your name/business in the program book and website as a Cremona All-Star sponsor; Full-page print ad in the program book and acknowledgement from the stage; member of Reuning & Son Violins staff and a Crier at your private dinner table; Acknowledgement in all digital publications and on-site signage

STRADIVARI: $10,000
8 VIP Tickets to the Open Rehearsal, Dinner, Concert, and Reception;
Your name/business in the program book and website as a Stradivari sponsor; Full-page print ad in the program book and acknowledgement from the stage; Crier at your private dinner table

GUARNERI: $5,000
6 VIP Tickets to the Open Rehearsal, Dinner, Concert, and Reception;
Your name/business in the program book and website as a Guarneri sponsor; Half-page print ad in the program book

AMATI: $3,000
4 VIP Tickets to the Open Rehearsal, Dinner, Concert, and Reception;
Your name/business in the program book and website as an Amati sponsor
Thank you to Liisa Kissel for sponsoring at the Amati level.

BERGONZI: $1,500
2 VIP Tickets to the Open Rehearsal, Dinner, Concert, and Reception;
Your name/business in the program book and website as a Bergonzi sponsor
Thank you to Mary & Ben Jaffee, Josh and Amelia Katzen, Grace Kennerly, Stephen Moody, and Steve Saudek for sponsoring at the Bergonzi level.

GUADAGNINI: $750
VIP Ticket(s) to the Open Rehearsal, Dinner, Concert, and Reception;
Your name/business in the program book and website as a Guadagnini sponsor
Thank you to Stephen Moody for sponsoring at the Guadagnini level.

SUPPORT A FAR CRY
I/we cannot attend but wish to make a tax-deductible ​contribution ​to support A Far Cry.

*Photography by Josh Reynolds for A Far Cry

Reuning & Son Violins was founded in the 1970s in Ithaca, New York, by Sanford and Joan Reuning, together with their son, Christopher Reuning. Sandy and Joan are both professional violinist/violists and educators who were pioneers of the Suzuki method. Chris is a cellist and trained as a violin restorer at the House of Primavera in Philadelphia. The Reuning family combined their talents, opening a shop that found a niche in furnishing fine small-sized instruments to a national clientele.

In 1984, Chris purchased the business from his parents and opened in new premises in Ithaca. The business expanded rapidly into fine instruments, and 10 years later, Chris felt it was time to relocate to a larger and more accessible city. Thus, in 1994, Reuning & Son Violins opened in Boston. The move to Boston was a defining moment in the expansion of Reuning & Son Violins, which is now considered one of the world’s most respected dealers of fine violins, violas, cellos, and bows.

Christopher Reuning, violin maker, restorer, and expert, grew up in a musical family and began playing cello at age 7. He became a violin-making apprentice at the age of 12 at the House of Primavera in Philadelphia. During the next six years, he frequently traveled to Cremona, Italy, to work with Virgilio Capellini and Alfredo Primavera, which complemented his Philadelphia training. Chris developed a keen interest in the study and identification of old violins and was mentored by Dario D’Attili. Chris also counts Charles Beare and the late Robert Bein as important influences in this field.

Chris has served on the boards of the Violin Society of America and the American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers and is a member of the Entente Internationale des Luthiers et Archetiers. As past president of the AFVBM, he organized the annual meeting and exhibit in Seattle that examined the Cremonese violins made between 1730 and 1750. He has also organized AFVBM exhibitions that examined both the Venetian, and Neapolitan schools, and the followers of the Amati family.

Described as offering “a refreshing corrective to classical music’s rigid hierarchies” by WBUR, A Far Cry is known for its innovative and compelling programs, stellar communication, and a democratic process that is the group’s north star. A Far Cry was founded in 2007 on the belief that every voice deserves to be heard; so instead of one artistic director, the collective of musicians (“Criers”) curate and submit program ideas inspired by individual curiosities, and what is happening in the world at large. The result is ensemble playing at its most intimate, representing a diverse mix of music and collaborators. This inherent sense of curiosity led the Boston Globe to say that “even though A Far Cry has decisively established itself as a mainstay of the Boston musical community, something about it feels perpetually fresh with every performance.” A Far Cry has risen to the top of Billboard’s Traditional Classical Chart, and garnered two Grammy nominations. In 2023, in a testament to the group’s strength as a collaborator, all three albums the A Far Cry released were nominated for a Grammy Award. This includes e Blue Hour (New Amsterdam and Nonesuch Records), Stillpoint (New Amsterdam Records), and A Gentleman of Istanbul (Crier Records).