I was delighted to be asked to attend the private view of the Stradivarius Exhibition at the Ashmolean today, deputising for the Lord Mayor again. There were a huge number of people there and the exhibition is really stunning. It’s the first ever major exhibition in the UK of Antonio Stradivari’s work in the UK and really was an amazing experience.  There must have been over 200 people present.  I was welcomed by Dr Jon Whitely, the curator of this exhibition.

We started with a welcome speech from Professor Christopher Brown CBE, The Director of the Ashmolean and the opening itself was commemorated by some simply stunning violin playing by Tasmin Little OBE. As an internationally renowned and heavily in-demand soloist she played some beauttiful music on one of the Stradivari violins and did a great job of explaining to all present what a joy such instruments are to play.

You can learn lots more about this exhibition online and if you can get to see it before it ends on 11th August then I highly recommend it.