When Sergey Khachatryan steps onto the stage of Brussels’ Palais des Beaux-Arts on 17 October, it will mark more than a performance. Two decades after winning the Queen Elisabeth Competition, the Armenian violinist is coming back to Brussels with a performance that marks a new chapter of one of the world’s most storied instruments: the 1724 “Kiesewetter” Stradivari.

This instrument is among the rarest of its kind, valued at around $16 million and long associated with some of the greatest violinists of the modern era. Its burnished tone once sang in the hands of Maxim Vengerov, and later Augustin Hadelich, whose luminous recordings on the instrument helped define a generation’s sound. Now, with the support of the Stretton Society, the violin has found a new voice in Khachatryan.

For Khachatryan, known for his deep, almost spiritual approach to music, the connection was immediate. “The violin has an extraordinary voice – radiant, powerful, yet infinitely nuanced,” he said in a press release. “To stand again on the stage of Bozar, now with the ‘Kiesewetter’ Stradivari as my partner, feels both like a homecoming and a new beginning.”

The upcoming program with the Belgian National Orchestra will include Brahms’ Violin Concerto, a towering work of the Romantic repertoire that tests the technical limits of the instrument with challenging double stops, bold octave leaps, and intricate arpeggios. The concert also includes Schumann’s Third Symphony, a five-movement masterpiece that pushes the boundaries of classical form while paying homage to Beethoven’s innovations.

The concert on the legendary violin reflects a growing movement in classical music: the revival of private patronage and the belief that masterpieces belong on stage rather than in vaults. The Stretton Society, a non-profit network of philanthropists founded in 2021, is part of this revival, working to connect rare instruments with extraordinary artists.

Its co-founder, Stephan Jansen, sees the partnership with Khachatryan as emblematic of the Society’s mission. “Every Stradivari carries centuries of history, but the ‘Kiesewetter’ is special – it has been the artistic partner of violinists who defined entire generations,” according to Jansen. “To hear it now in the hands of Sergey Khachatryan, in Brussels – with its tremendous heritage of violin playing – is to see that legacy continue,” he said.

Alongside instrument loans, the Stretton Society funds mentorship programs, fostering dialogue between established artists and rising talent. In 2024, it received the European Cultural Award for its contribution to the arts.

Khachatryan, who came to international prominence as the youngest-ever laureate of the Jean Sibelius International Violin Competition, has performed with the world’s leading orchestras and conductors, earning recognition for his rare combination of depth, sensitivity, and brilliance. His music is marked by an introspective intensity, which feels especially fitting for the “Kiesewetter.”

The violin itself traces a fascinating lineage. Crafted in Cremona around 1724 by Antonio Stradivari, its name derives from the 19th-century German virtuoso Christoph Gottfried Kiesewetter. Across centuries, its varnish and voice have absorbed the touch of each generation’s most expressive players.

Its upcoming performance in Brussels will represent more than artistic mastery. It will serve as a bridge between generations of violinists, connecting the craftsmanship of Cremona with the audiences of today. Through Khachatryan and the Stretton Society, the “Kiesewetter” once again fulfills its purpose – not to be locked away, but to live, breathe, and inspire.

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