Rachel Barton Pine to Bring Centuries of History to Life in Concert at USD
Pine, who recently visited the National Music Museum and the USD Department of Music for a three-day residency, was captivated by the museum’s violins and their stories. During her upcoming concert, she’ll be performing with two of the National Music Museum’s instruments—the 1668 Jacob Stainer and 1693 ‘Harrison’ Stradivari violins.
The 1668 Jacob Stainer violin is a masterwork preserved in near-original condition. Considered the greatest violin maker of the 17th century outside Italy, Stainer’s instruments were prized for their sweet, silvery tone. Johann Sebastian Bach himself owned a Stainer, making Pine’s performance of Bach’s music on this instrument historically authentic. Funding for the Stainer violin was provided by the NMM Board of Trustees in 1989, in memory of Arne B. and Jeanne F. Larson. The Stainer has not been heard publicly since it arrived at the NMM in 1989.
The concert will also showcase the NMM’s celebrated 1693 ‘Harrison’ Stradivari violin, one of only a handful of Stradivaris to retain its original neck. Described by some as “the greatest concert violin built before 1700,” the Harrison represents Stradivari’s long-pattern design. The violin was acquired through the Rawlins Fund in 1985. Purchase funds for the Stradivari violin were a gift from 1st Financial Bank USA and Ken Cancelosi, in memory of Robert Cancelosi, in 2025. The Stradivari violin has not been played publicly since Eugene Fodor’s recital in 2002 and will be returned to the permanent exhibit following this recital.
Audiences will also get the rare opportunity to compare the sound of the original Stradivari violin with its modern recreation—the 2025 Harrison Strad 2.0. This modern recreation serves as a meticulous replica created by the Oberlin School of Violin Making in Oberlin, Ohio, and the Chicago School of Violin Making in Skokie, Illinois. Crafted for over two years to match the Harrison’s dimensions, varnish and wear patterns, this replica will be heard publicly for the very first time.
Pine’s concert and residency are generously supported by the Clayton and Odessa Lang Ofstad Foundation, the Margaret Ann Martin Everist Foundation, the South Dakota Department of Tourism, USD, the South Dakota Arts Council and the City of Vermillion.
Tickets are available on the NMM website.
About the Performer
Praised by The New York Times as “striking and charismatic” and by The Washington Post for her “power and confidence,” Pine is one of the most celebrated violinists of her generation. She has performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, and Vienna Symphony, among many others, under the direction of leading conductors including Daniel Barenboim, Marin Alsop, and Zubin Mehta. Her 2024-2025 season highlights include premieres of new violin concertos, international tours and performances of the great masterworks by Brahms and Sibelius.
About the National Music Museum
Founded in 1973, the National Music Museum is located on the campus of USD in Vermillion, South Dakota. It is one of the world’s finest collections of musical instruments, with over 14,000 instruments in its holdings. The NMM owns some of the most historically significant musical instruments in existence. Founded in 1973, the National Music Museum Inc. is a non-profit entity in partnership with USD.
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