Gianandrea Noseda, the conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington DC, has revealed that the owner of a number of string instruments loaned to his orchestra’s players was none other than him. 

The conductor began collecting instruments a decade ago, initially loaning them with the assistance of an Italian foundation to members of the Teatro Regio Torino – of which he was then Music Director – before moving the arrangement to his new orchestra, the NSO. 

The collection currently consists of seven violins and one viola – valued at £5m – and began in 2011 with a 1725 violin by Venetian luthier Santo Serafino, which was lent to the Teatro Regio Torino’s leader. Subsequent additions all come from makers around his home region of Lombardy. He also owns two cellos, one of which is on loan to a young cellist, the other of which will soon be made available to the NSO.

Principals get first choice, after which other players can enter a ballot to have an instrument for two years. For Noseda, it’s part of his focus on orchestra sound-building, and indeed team building, but he also hopes that by making public his collection, he might inspire others to follow in his footsteps. He told the Washington Post: ‘How do you reinvest in your art form? I feel like this is a responsibility. There is a part of me that wants to make things better in my profession. This is never a one-man show.’ 

Noseda and his NSO musicians can be heard in an ongoing series of the Sinfonias of George Walker – you can hear him talk about George Walker in a recent Gramophone Podcast, below – as well as an ongoing series of Beethoven symphonies, the next instalment of which is out on Friday (May 19).