The History of a 1720 Stradivarius Violin

  A resident of Saint Paul, Minnesota, Michael J. “Mike” Antonello is an accomplished professional concert violinist who has recorded 18 critically acclaimed albums. A collector of fine art, Michael Antonello owns two of the most famous violins ever made, including a 1720 golden period “Ex-Rochester” Stradivarius.

Mr. Antonello acquired the Stradivarius sight-unseen from violin dealer Kenneth Warren and Sons, which had acquired it from a Japanese collector. When Mr. Antonello first held his new violin, he noticed that the strings sat high above the fingerboard, an indication that the Stradivarius was rarely played.

The violin’s written record dates back to 1820, when it was entered into a collection in Rochester, England. This means that the first hundred years of the Stradivarius’ history is a mystery.

Although the Stradivarius was in pristine condition, it took Mr. Antonello three years to get the instrument to play correctly after so many years of not being used. The violin now plays beautifully and hits notes precisely. Find out more about Mr. Antonello’s musical history and accomplishments at michaelantonello.com.

Benefits of Listening to Classical Music

  Michael J. Antonello has been a lifetime lover of the violin and a principal at several wealth management companies in Minnesota. Deciding to take a step back from his business career, Michael “Mike” Antonello now focuses on performing and recording classical violin music and his family’s fine art collection. Classical music has long been thought to have numerous benefits, and here are some of the proven merits for listeners.

1. Listening to classical music has been found to relieve stress. In a study surveying pregnant women conducted in Taiwan, women who listened to classical music reported lower stress levels than a control group receiving normal pregnancy care.

2. Classical music might make you smarter, at least in the short term. In a French study, researchers tested students who listened to classical music while hearing a lecture they were then tested on and compared the results to a control group. The music group scored better on the test than those who heard the lecture without music.

3. Music therapy is a widely accepted, though non-conventional, intervention in helping to reduce depression. A study by Mexican researchers confirmed this, as they found that patients with low to medium-state depression received some degree of benefit from listening to classical music.

Peter Arnstein’s Long-time Collaboration With Michael Antonello

A lifelong violinist from Minnesota, Michael “Mike” J. Antonello is also a business owner, concertmaster, financial advisor, and fine art dealer. A consummate artist, Michael Antonello is currently focusing on recording and performing and is often accompanied by decades-long collaborator, Peter Arnstein.

Peter Arnstein is a well-known pianist from the twin cities area and has served as the pianist for the Minnesota Orchestra. He has performed at the Library of Congress and was a finalist for the Artistic Ambassador Awards.

His work with Mike Antonello started over 25 years ago and they have had many significant appearances together over the years. They have recorded together on numerous occasions as well. With three appearances together at the Edinburgh festival and a northern Italy tour, they are a recognized duo in the international music scene. Their performances have been lauded in many publications, including Fanfare and the Scotsman.

Visit https://michaelantonello.com/home to learn more.

How to Hold a Violin Bow

Minnesota-based Michael J. Antonello is the principal of Golden Valley Financial, the owner of Antonello Fine Art, and a concert violinist. Michael “Mike” Antonello has recorded and released several CDs with pianist and composer Peter Arnstein.

For many intermediate and beginner violinists, holding the bow properly feels unnatural. To help train the hand, violinists can practice good technique without a bow. This is done by making the letter C with the thumb and fingers curved. From this position, players should touch the middle finger and ring finger to the thumb, and raise the curved index finger and pinky slightly upward. This creates a “bunny” with the pinky and index finger as the ears.

When holding the bow, most of the support comes from the thumb. Because of this, violinists must place the thumb on the underside of the bow stick first. Ideally, the thumb sits in the small space on the end of the bow. Meanwhile, the middle finger rests on the bow stick directly opposite the thumb. The ring finger is relaxed next to it.

Finally, the pinky is placed on top of the bow stick at a slight distance from the ring finger. The pinky should remain curved so players retain control of the bow. The index finger is wrapped around the bow similar to the middle and ring fingers.

For information about Michael J. Antonello, visit https://michaelantonello.com/home.