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Strad Fest

NINE LEGENDARY INSTRUMENTS.

NEARLY 3,000 YEARS OF MUSICAL HISTORY.

ALL IN ONE INCREDIBLE WEEKEND!

The Richmond Symphony is reaching Into the STRADosphere with a thrilling 2024-25 season opening festival, Strad Fest, celebrating the most mysterious and coveted instruments in the orchestral world – Stradivari violins. Hand-crafted between 1685-1725 by Antonio Stradivari, each instrument has its own unique sound. The weekend starts in a transformed Carpenter Theatre, with eight Stradivarius violins playing eight seasons, under the stars.

Want an all-access, VIP experience?

Upgrade to a Strad Pass and enjoy access to multiple concerts, lectures, and parties to include exclusive lectures let by world-renowned luthier Sofia Vettori, An Afternoon with Itzhak Perlman, and an evening “under the stars” at our Season-Opening Gala concert and dinner, ExSTRADvaganza.

Want to share this experience with friends or as part of your corporate engagement plan?

Become a sponsor. Demonstrate your commitment to artistic excellence right here, in our city, and to your Richmond Symphony. For more information about sponsorships, please contact ademand@richmondsymphony.com

This will be Richmond’s event of the year! Every dollar raised benefits your Richmond Symphony’s artistic, education, and community engagement programs. Your support helps ensure a strong start for what is guaranteed to be a year of artistically powerful and educationally impactful programming.

Join us for what is sure to be a once-in-a-lifetime moment of musical excellence.

Gala Tickets

  • Into the STRADosphere Gala concert (ExSTRADvaganza) and dinner seating for one (1)
  • Early sales offers for single tickets to An Afternoon with Itzhak Perlman

Purchase Gala Ticket

 

All Gala ticket benefits, PLUS:

  • Entrance for 1 to Saturday evening after-party following Cinema Serenade (concert tickets not included)
  • Priority seating and early sales offers for single tickets for all additional Strad Fest events and programs
  • Priority access to purchase parking

Purchase Gala+ Ticket

Strad Pass

Access to all that Strad Fest has to offer, with priority throughout!

A Strad Pass includes single tickets to:

  • Into the STRADosphere Gala (ExSTRADvaganza concert and dinner)
  • An Afternoon with Itzhak Perlman
  • Cinema Serenade
  • Saturday evening concert after-party
  • Strad Chamber Concert
  • The Art of the Stradivari Luthier Demonstration
  • Evolution of Musical Repertoire & Instrument Presentation

PLUS:

  • Priority access to purchase parking
  • VIP treatment at all Strad Fest programming throughout the week
  • Exclusive Strad Fest keepsake

Purchase Strad Pass

Gala Table Sponsorships

  • Into the STRADosphere gala access for five (5) guests on September 13, 2024
  • Pre-Concert Cocktail Hour
  • Half-table at ExSTRADvaganza concert and gala dinner
  • Priority opportunity to purchase parking in the Grace Street surface lot, as capacity allows
  • Acknowledgement as a Silver Sponsor on printed materials
  • Quarter-page corporate ad or tribute message in the Strad Fest program used to all festival activities throughout the week (distribution estimate 5,000)

Become a Silver Table Sponsor

  • Upgraded Into the STRADosphere gala access for a total of ten (10) guests on September 13, 2024
    • Pre-Concert Cocktail Hour
    • Table at ExSTRADvaganza concert and gala dinner
    • Option to include a Symphony or Strad Fest musician at your table (included in your 10 seat allotment)
    • Complimentary parking for up to 6 cars in a nearby lot
  • Two (2) StradPasses offering full access and VIP treatment at all additional Strad Fest activities
    • Cinema Serenade concert and exclusive after-party
    • Strad Chamber Concert
    • An Afternoon with Itzhak Perlman
    • The Art of Stradivari and Evolution of Musical Repertoire & Instruments demonstrations with luthier Sofia Vettori
  • Two (2) additional tickets to An Afternoon with Itzhak Perlman
  • Enhanced acknowledgement as a Gold Sponsor on all Strad Fest official press and printed materials
  • Upgraded half-page corporate ad or tribute message in the Strad Fest program used for all festival activities (distribution estimate 5,000)
  • Logo or name recognition on the event webpage
  • Two (2) exclusive Strad Fest keepsakes

Become a Gold Table Sponsor

VIP access to all that Strad Fest has to offer, including:

  • Into the STRADosphere gala access for ten (10) guests on September 13, 2024
    • VIP seating, service and amenities
    • Priority option to include a Symphony or Strad Fest musician at your table (included in your 10 seat allotment)
    • Complimentary parking for up to 6 cars in a nearby lot
    • Pre-Concert Cocktail Hour
    • Table at ExSTRADvaganza concert and gala dinner
  • Upgrade to ten (10) Strad Passes offering full access and VIP treatment at all additional Strad Fest activities:
    • Cinema Serenade concert and exclusive after-party
    • Strad Chamber Concert
    • An Afternoon with Itzhak Perlman
    • The Art of Stradivari and Evolution of Musical Repertoire & Instruments demonstrations with luthier Sofia Vettori
  • Up to ten (10) additional tickets to An Afternoon with Itzhak Perlman
  • Upgraded full-page corporate ad or tribute message in the Strad Fest program used for all festival activities (distribution estimate $5,000)
  • Top-tier recognition as a Platinum Sponsor on all Strad Fest official press and printed materials
  • Logo or name recognition on digital screens in the Carpenter Theatre lobby for all Strad Fest events held in that location
  • Logo or name recognition on the event webpage
  • Ten (10) exclusive Strad Fest keepsakes

Become a Platinum Table Sponsor

Sponsor a Musician or Make a Donation

If you would like to Sponsor a Musician for this event, please click below!

Sponsor a Musician

If you cannot attend and would like to make a tax-deductible donation to the gala event, please click below!

Make a Gala Donation

Explore Strad Fest More!

History of Stradivari

Antonio Stradivari is almost universally regarded as the greatest violin maker in history and the value and reputation of his instruments reflect that to this day. Many great mysteries surround Stradivari and his career: When was he actually born? Where did he study to become a luthier? Was he a carpenter first, or did he truly study under another great violin maker, Nicolo Amati? And what is it that makes a Stradivari violin incomparable to others? One thing is for certain, though. Stradivari’s craftmanship has withstoof the test of time thanks to his innovative practices which imbued his instruments with an unrivaled sonic palette. His interpretation of geometry and design for the violin, and trademark “Long Pattern” violin form, revolutionized the tone and resonance of violins forever and has served as a conceptual model for violin makers for more than 250. Current estimates indicate that Stradivari (with the help of his sons) made more than 1,100 instruments total -including harps, cellos, guitars, violas, and more- and roughly 650 remain in existence today.

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