On 17 and 18 October 2025, Fondazione Casa Stradivari was the guest of the renowned pianist Kit Armstrong at the Church of Sainte-Thérèse in Hirson (France) for two days dedicated to excellence in violin making and music. The event marked the concluding moment of the first Violin Making Master Program at Casa Stradivari, representing a particularly emotional and significant milestone in the recent history of the Foundation.

On this occasion, the world première of the string instruments created during the eighteen months of the program took place. The instruments were made by luthiers Alberto Luca Stella, Louis Marin and Francesco Panazza, who completed the first edition of the master program. Throughout their training, each of the three luthiers built a full string quartet under the supervision of internationally renowned masters: Davide Sora for the violins, Marcello Ive for the violas, and Primo Pistoni for the cellos. The programme was further enriched by in-depth sessions on varnishing led by Curzio Merlo, Claudio Canevari and Pierre Flavetta, in collaboration with the CrForma Restoration Laboratory of Cremona, in-depth study of preserved artefacts thanks to our collaboration with Fondazione Antonio Stradivari Museo del Violino and by the collaboration with the Istituto Stradivari International Violin Making School. 

Fondazione Casa Stradivari extends its heartfelt thanks to all those involved.

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The new instruments came to life through performances by Kit Armstrong, Fabrizio von Arx, the Quatuor Ardeo, and musician friends of Casa Stradivari - Thomas Briant, Meriel Bizri, Nikolas Altieri and Francesco Tamburini - offering the audience a deeply intense and moving musical experience, with a 360-degree programme that allowed each instrument to take centre stage.

Alongside the concerts, round-table discussions brought together Kit Armstrong and Fabrizio von Arx with Robert Brewer Young (J&A Beare) and the luthiers of Casa Stradivari in an open exchange on contemporary creation and the value of the Cremonese artisanal tradition, fostering a dialogue between artistic and musical perspectives.

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Fondazione Casa Stradivari is particularly proud of this world première, which brought to the heart of Europe that Cremonese know-how which makes Cremona the world capital of violin making - an ideal city where education, tradition and innovation meet, and where musical art and artisanal mastery coexist. Our sincere thanks go to Kit Armstrong for his invitation and for having always believed in and supported the vision of Casa Stradivari.