Maria was awarded first prize and audience prize in the senior division of the Menuhin Competition 2021 and we were delighted to award Maria the 2-year loan of a fine mid-golden period Stradivari violin from the collection of Jonathan Moulds CBE through the Beare’s International Violin Society.

Her upcoming debuts include performances with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Pittsburgh Symphony, Dresden Philharmonic, Deutsch Radio Philharmonie, and Danish National Symphony Orchestra.

J & A Beare has been a sponsor of the Menuhin Competition for many years, regularly supporting the charity by loaning instruments. On their centenary celebration in 2017, through the Beare’s International Violin Society, the company lent an exceptional violin made by Stradivari during his ‘golden period’ to the first prize winner Ziyu He. In 2018, Beare’s awarded the two-year loan of another ‘golden period’ Stradivari to Nathan Mierdl who won second prize and the award for the candidate with most outstanding potential and it was a pleasure to continue this tradition in 2021.