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History of the Musical Instrument Bank

The Canada Council Musical Instrument Bank (MIB) was created in 1985 through the generous legacy of $100,000 from the Barwick family of Ottawa. Since then it has grown through donations and loans to include close to 20 instruments, valued at over $29 million. These historically-significant violins, cellos and bows were crafted by celebrated luthiers such as Stradivari, Gagliano and Pressenda.

The Canada Council is extremely grateful to the generous individuals and foundations that have made donations and loans to the MIB.

How to donate or lend to the MIB
Cumulative list of MIB recipients
About the instruments

Acquisition History

2012

1929 Carlo Giuseppe Oddone cello
Loan from an anonymous donor

1768 Miller Januarius Gagliano violin
Loan from Mrs. Miller, Toronto

2009

ca. 1767 Joannes Baptista Guadagnini violin
Loan from an anonymous donor for a 3-year term

1869 Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume violin, with a Vuillaume model bow
Loan from Greg Cook of Guelph, Ontario

2006

1715 Dominicus Montagnana violin
Loan from an anonymous donor

2003

1747 Palmason Januarius Gagliano violin
Loan from Pearl Palmason of Toronto. Later bequested to an anonymous donor, who has continued to loan it to the MIB

ca. 1700 Taft Stradivari violin
Loan from an anonymous donor

2002

ca. 1700 Bell Giovanni Tononi violin
Donation by Justice R.D. Bell of Gananoque, Ontario

2000

ca. 1830 Shaw Adamcello bow
Donation by Andrew Shaw, Toronto

ca. 1696 Bonjour Stradivari cello
1820 Joannes Franciscus Pressenda violin
1902 Enrico Rocca violin
Loans from an anonymous donor

1998

1824 McConnell Nicolaus Gagliano cello
1674 Petrus Ranta cello
Donations from the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation

1997

1702 Lyall Stradivari violin (3-year loan)
1689 Baumgartner Stradivari violin
1729 Guarneri del Gesù violin
Loans from an anonymous donor

1988

1717 Windsor-Weinstein Stradivari violin
Donation by the Ontario Heritage Foundation, which received it by donation from Leon Weinstein.

1987

1706 Brott-Turner Tecchler cello
The first instrument in the MIB was acquired through the fundraising efforts of W.I.M. Turner, then chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Consolidated Bathurst Inc., and cellist Denis Brott (both of Montreal). The cello is currently on loan to Denis Brott for the duration of his career.

For more information about donations to the Musical Instrument Bank, please contact:

Joanne Larocque-Poirier
Head, Endowments and Prizes
Telephone: 1 800 263 5588, ext. 5041 Fax: 613 566 4430
E-mail : joanne.larocque-poirier@canadacouncil.ca