In the salesroom at Sotheby's New York this morning, auctioneer Phyllis Kao brought down the hammer for one of the most valuable musical instruments ever sold at auction. The Joachim-Ma Stradivarius, crafted in 1714 during Antonio Stradivari’s revered “Golden Period,” achieved $11.3 million—proceeds that will fund the largest named endowed scholarship at New England Conservatory, supporting generations of musicians to come. Before the sale, New England Conservatory alumna Geneva Lauren honored the moment with a performance of Bach’s ‘Largo’. #sothebys #auction #violin #stradivarius #music #musichistory #biddingwar #classicalmusic