Timothy Chooi Loaned 1714 'Dolphin' Strad Violin Played by Heifetz

October 8, 2025 at 09:14 PM · This is so cool! I can tell he was holding back his excitement.

October 9, 2025 at 08:53 AM · note that Heifetz's favorite violin, the "David" del Gesu, is currently played by the concertmaster of the SF Symphony Orchestra. power to orchestral violinists!!

October 9, 2025 at 10:03 AM · Well spoken, Jean!

October 9, 2025 at 08:32 PM · As from ~ Original Artist Pupil of Jascha Heifetz We 7 ~ Elisabeth Matesky re 'Heifetz Stradivari?!' {#4} ~ October 9, 2025

With All Due Respect, I must inform V.com Editor, Laurie Niles, I know much about Jascha Heifetz due having been an Original Artist Pupil of Jascha Heifetz's First Violin Master Class at USC's Institute for Special Music Studies with all 7 of us subsequently filmed later on when Mr. 'H' then announced we 7 were to be filmed by NYC Producer, Nathan Kroll, who had won Awards for his superb Documentary on the Life of fabled Vincent Van Gogh and Mr. Kroll wished to bring his full Film/Audio Crew from NYC to Los Angeles to film us on the USC Campus, with our 7 individual Film's violin repertoire to be played, assigned by Mr. Heifetz once he had accepted the Contract to be filmed teaching all 7 of us! So, dear Editor of V.com, I thank you but do not need to go a website to learn about my mentor and also once living in London on my Fulbright Scholarship to RCM {Royal College of Music steps across Prince Consort Road and over to The Royal Albert Hall in South Kensington}, with whom after formally studying with Mr. Heifetz, I did become a former pupil and Friend of the GOAT Violinist in History and for All Centuries, I must add!!

The issue which bothers me in seeing a Headline of Timothy Chooi having been loaned or gifted The Heifetz "Dolphin" Stradivarius having belonged to Heifetz, is indeed eye catching yet in all honesty I do not ever recall Mr. Heifetz telling any of us he had owned/played the Stradivarius 'Dolphin' Violin? I know for sure Heifetz did Not play the "Dolphin" well-known-of Strad prior to many Auctions and at Sotheby's in London and earlier in the 1960s/70s, in any of our "regular class" {Quote, Mr. Heifetz} and never in any of our 7 films which are each 30 min in length due to space film limitations but all of us in our own individual Heifetz Films and I will take the liberty here if unknown by some V.com Members of titling our Film: Jascha Heifetz Violin Master Class film-Khachaturian, JH-7, Elisabeth Matesky {Russian version. Library Master Performers}28:44 min and placed on YT site in Spring 2011, which following a few decades being sold on Shar Music Products in Ann Arbor, MI, by Charles Avsharian, whom I had known a long time. In all of our 7 films Mr. Heifetz never used his well known of Guarneri del Gesu, and known very well to me due my being gifted a Guarnerius del Gesu having belonged to Joseph Joachim, Dedicatee of Johannes Brahms' Violin Concerto/also Composer of The famous Joachim Cadenza to the Brahms Violin Concerto!! When Mr. "H" viewed my Guarnerius del Gesu, he looked most carefully at it then said w/ a wink, "And what did you do to get This, Liz!!?" I told him How it came to me and not the other way round and due playing the Sibelius Violin Concerto On Tour of All Scandinavia to which Heifetz then told me how delighted he was and to care for it most carefully also RX-ing Lloyds of London to carry all Insurance of this rare violin and its very Rare History!

All said, after reading the Article, I still would caution many on Violinist.com to not Believe All Info provided by one presumes, the Tokyo based in Japan Nippon Music Foundation for to my eyes and common sense, too little Info is provided and no documentation (where or whom confirmed the true authenticity of the Instrument) at this point?? I am not looking for trouble but have known some colleagues who experienced dire situations when the fine Instrument they bought turned out to be not what it was reported to be ... Not really or with any sense this "Heifetz Stradivarius" and the 'Dolphin' Strad is not authentic, it always needs true verification from once always then "Go To Place", W.E. Hill & Sons, Ltd, on New Bond Street, in Mayfair, London, W1, to study and then offer coveted trusted Hill Papers of Authenticity prior to any purchase of said very valuable Instrument here and now currently being written about!

The GOAT Fabled Violinist, Heifetz re V.com needs to be reviewed due This Fact of Jascha Heifetz's Violinism = Dominance of Greatest Violinist over All thus far duly noted *Centuries, clarified by a genuine Concert Pupil of Mr. Heifetz's 7 Original Violin Master Class pupils now viewed JH Films on YT + https://www.bili.bili.com/Khachaturian {In Asian Script but original English as Was/Remains!}

*We 7 after all of our 7 JH VMC films had wrapped, did celebrate via Mr. & Mrs. Heifetz Invite to their Easter Party for All 7 of us with a Luncheon and Charades much of the Party afternoon at the Beverly Hills home of The Heifetz's w/JH happily enjoying playing his piano rearranging well known violin concerti in differing key signatures and different rhythmic combinations to try having lots of fun fooling all 7 of us about Which Violin Concerto he, JH, was really playing and with JH delightful touches of child-like Fun!!

Returning to today's Topic, over ensuing decades numerous untold numbers of violinists/String Cousins and many Music Lovers have asked yours truly Which Violin Mr.'H' used during our Jascha Heifetz Violin Master Classes and Never ever has the mention of the Stradivarius known of 'Dolphin' Violin come up and it will likely not come up for long due to some knowledge (and I am still going to check this with the most authoritative source on this Earth) that Mr. Heifetz didn't use or play his 'Dolphin' Strad in any of our thrice weekly Jascha Heifetz Violin Master Classes 6 hrs daily later filmed or 'In Regular Class' {Quote, Mr. Heifetz's Term} I do know his cherished Guarnerius del Gesu, The Heifetz 'del Gesu' was gifted from the Will of Mr. Heifetz to a Fine Museum in San Francisco to be and on rare occasions used by a Concertmaster of the San Francisco Symphony & also on occasions to prized young Violin Soloists for short term use loan Only. It is acknowledged here so this matter Is Valid, but I've also been told by some violin colleagues on the West-East Coast's the Terms in Loan of The 'Heifetz' fabled and his beloved del Gesu Violin have been a few times violated and this to me is a Sin in the past & sadly ongoing History of honouring 'The God of Violin Artistry' no matter how far into the Future we now find ourselves ~

Yes, Mr. Heifetz & a middle aged man did walk into W.E. Hills & Sons in New Bond Street, Mayfair, London, W1, to purchase a Strad to play for his globally numerous Concerts all over Continental Europe and including South America; Scandinavia and throughout the US plus a few trips to the Orient early on in his Concert Career. Yet this does not mean Mr. Heifetz took the Strad named here (which doesn't sound 'Right' to my memory re using it in Any of our JH Violin Master Classes, which btw, Mr. 'H' told us he was using his newer contemporary Berger fiddle in our films} but may have, indeed, played on his beloved Tonini Violin long prior to our JH Violin Master Classes - later gifted to Sherry Kloss, a very fine pupil of Mr. Heifetz in his Will, yet Mr. Heifetz had more than ample access to Great Violins on Earth and did once play the purported to be 'Greatest Strad' in the Oxford University Ashmoleum Museum and Under Bullet Proof Glass 24/7 protected in University of Oxford Walls and is still protected to date ... So, to make one's point re a fine violinist artist playing "the Heifetz Strad", I find it still a bit misleading & focusing on it sounds as If JH had but One Strad and used it always or very often by the name of 'Heifetz Dolphin' Strad which was '70s internationally known and it does not mean Heifetz particularly played on only the 'Dolphin' Strad which instinct tells me this is a slight Promo by the Nippon Music Foundation to both promote the Violin and Fine Artist who is obviously fortunate gifted to be allowed to use this fine Stradivarius Violin once owned and played by Jascha Heifetz in a given period of his Epic Concert Performing Life of about 60 Years ~ {And I Must Add 1 Rare Honour for Timothy Chooi, young artist now playing it!}

Sorry, Folks, but when it comes to suggesting the young Artist is now playing The Violin Played by Heifetz it is likely not quite 100% accurate and it is (I'm going to term it what it sounds like), as if it were The Only Strad Jascha Heifetz Ever Played? Yet discerning violinists including those of us who were/remain Original 7 Pupils of Mr. Heifetz now realise through Decades since our rare studies with Yes, GREATEST VIOLINIST OF ALL TIME - HEIFETZ is still being 'pegged' by Foundations or Competitions trying to align themselves with 'Top Gun' Violinist, Jascha Heifetz's Name to attract audiences who would otherwise Not pay Attention warranted or not garnering much notice, yet Not Fair but it is Life or quite often a sad case of affairs ...

{Example: Price of Global Fame was Infinitely High for Mr. Heifetz, having to Thrice in Court battle sue Mr. Axelrod who got hold of CH Files and Not legally, gathering Private Only Information on the Concert Fees of Mr. Heifetz, plus also Milstein & Stern plus even David Oistrakh when performing in America w/rare photographs which he used without Heifetz's authorisation or knowledge in his JH un-authorised Book ... So after Three Lawsuits vs Mr. Axelrod, Mr. Heifetz was finally awarded his Goal: To shut down any more International Publication's of Axelrod's Infamous Book containing very private early Heifetz Family Photographs from his Youth in Vilnius, Lithuania + other personal memorabilia.}

I rest my views, and wish re-confirming that this Reply is in No Way intended to hurt this young Artist, Timothy Chooi, now playing many wonderful concerts nor those mentioned but it is Not IMO and I know 'a bit' about Mr Heifetz, both as his pupil and always, btw, Friend welcomed by Mr. Heifetz to come back to play for him after having moved to London on the Fulbright then launching a Global Violin Concert Career from London & often visiting the US for many concerts and home in Los Angeles to perform Concerts giving Violin Master Classes when in California, also visiting Mr. Heifetz and always delighted to see him and play for him with all ears open for his deeply wise caring brilliant opinions, many of them kindly complimentary and especially to Sascha Lasserson in London, whom JH initially RX'd me to study {"Liz, Lasserson in London!"} when he knew about my 2 Year Fulbright Scholarship to RCM & The World opening up to 'me-self,'a young American Violinist, then being very honoured as a Violin Laureate of First Sibelius International Violin Competition held in Helsinki, FI, on The Centenery Birth Year of Jean Sibelius' for 8.12'65 of Finland's Most 'Moral Composer' since Beethoven, himself ... And when in Helsinki, FI representing the USA, then SIVC awarded "The Most Outstanding Unaccompanied Bach in Violin" Special Award with an Invite from Widow of Jean Sibelius, Madam Sibelius, to perform her husband's Slow Movement (with my term for the 'Adagio di Molto'The Prayer Movement'} for The Entire Sibelius Family including All Five Sibelius Mature Daughters-Other Sibelius Family and SIVC Jury Head in his tiny birth-house, when Finnish Government honoured Jean Sibelius via the Official Inaugural Concert-Ceremony, with Then Finnish Minister of Culture proclaiming the Birth-House of Sibelius after our Music Offering, "The Sibelius National Memorial Museum" with All Five Sibelius Daughters seated in the Front 2 Rows with Flowers on the Lap of Eldest Sibelius Daughter and gifting it to yours truly for my Offering of their Father's Violin Concerto slow movement and by All Other Sibelius Family there in a very small house in Depths of Finnish Winter (-35 degrees in frigid Fahrenheit outside} w/7 Int'l Television Cameras filming while we performed then receiving gifted Floral Bouquet from the ailing Madame Sibelius as a gift to myself for performing her husband's Violin Concerto on the Centenery 8th December, 1965 Day!! *Note: All Five Sibelius Daughters asked me to convey their very warmest greetings to my mentor, Jascha Heifetz, 'for his championing of our Father's Violin Concerto all over the world and for 1st recording it w/Sir Thomas Beecham/ London Phil and in 1965, then a former GOAT JH recording #2 later on JH Violinist Sibelius Violin Concerto with our Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Cond Walter Hendl in *1959 which all reading this will know Why All Five Sibelius Daughters representing their Mother, widow of their father, Jean Sibelius were so kind and welcoming to yours truly although I was then very young yet in 'Awe' of Jean Sibelius and All Sibelius Family!!

A Word: It seems the further time moves ahead of 1965 and other major global musical Events many have now forgotten about the honour of being in a Major International Violin Competition of just above Sibelius Int'l Violin Concours consequence due to the sprouting up of hundreds + many more violin competitions which are both good and also very bad due to so many becoming many little one's which when announced now and globally over the internet, have lost their significance and I must mention specialness to people. I do feel less Is More at this time in International Music for More is taken for granted and less of true consequence Is Grand and Noticed!! Any views of Members here on Violinist.com would be interesting to read and at this point and if memory is correct, I think & the next Sibelius International Violin Competition fastly approaching in November of Anno 2025 and it is on my List of Must Do's to ring the Finnish Embassy to corroborate this Fact! And a bit of Info: The Finns are deeply loyal to their Idol, Composition God, Jean Sibelius, due his Love of his own Country composed into "Finlandia" a Fan Favourite of All Audiences in Northern Europe and throughout the European Continent plus the utter Beauty and Life Truths revealed in Moral Composer, Sibelius, in All his Glorious Symphonies composed with yours truly having a Favourite work: Sibelius V as most know and an Epic via HvK's Recording of Sibelius' Fifth Symphony long ago yet towering as Mt. Everest like his 'unplayable' Violin Concerto until Heifetz did 'stop by' to perform this Violin Monument taking it all the way Up to Mt Everest & in so doing Mr.'H' captured the Global Imagination of The Music World when hearing 1959 Heifetz/CSO/ Hendl Recording of the Sibelius Violin Concerto Non Stop!! {If not knowing what is meant by 'Non Stop', Ask Me here or better on FB for I do not know if V.com allows impromptu Blogs without their Editor, Laurie's, expert kind permission!!}

~ ~ ~ Music Goodwill from Chicago, US ~ ~ ~

........... Elisabeth Matesky ...........

Fwd ~ dmg Bk File Young Artist>JH Dolphin Strad '25}

October 9, 2025 at 08:38 PM · Elisabeth, Heifetz had several Strads and a del Gesù, and this is well-documented on this website and in other reliable news organizations. He owned the 1714 "Dolphin" Strad mentioned in this article, the 1731 "Piel" Strad, the 1736 Carlo Tononi, and the 1742 "ex David" del Gesù. It is said that he preferred the del Gesù, which he kept until his death. According to The Strad, which has been documenting such things since 1889, Heifetz made his 1949 recording of the Mendelssohn Concerto with Thomas Beecham playing the "Dolphin" Strad.

Your memories sound quite jumbled and yes, it's a good idea to check your facts before posting a rambling diatribe that tries to throw aspersions on a first-class young musician's admirable accomplishment: acquiring a very fine instrument to play, an instrument that Heifetz also deemed worthy enough to purchase (for quite a price, according to this 1950 New York Times article) and to play and record on.

October 9, 2025 at 09:03 PM · Here is another interesting video about this instrument, from when Ray Chen was playing it:

October 9, 2025 at 09:14 PM · It is well-established fact that Heifetz played at least three Stradivari violins over the years. He bought the “Dolphin” from W.E. Hill & Sons in 1950, and sold it in 1965.

October 10, 2025 at 03:59 AM · Point of odor!

This is a little known fact, but Jascha Heifetz actually played a violin and not a dolphin. I should know, as I used to attend Sea World religiously for years and learned all the clicks and whistles, so I would have heard about it from my feline friends!

October 10, 2025 at 10:35 PM · What do felines have to do with anything?

Anyway, a report about this very subject on another well-known website - https://slippedisc.com/2025/10/heifetzs-strad-is-loaned-to-a-violinist-who-already-has-two-great-instruments/ - ends with a rather witty final sentence.

October 15, 2025 at 12:54 AM · Nice performance of the Amy Beach Romance by Timothy at Guarneri Hall a few years ago (so not on the “Dolphin”). https://youtu.be/WqbUzchAC4I?si=VnqCemcmRPscnri4

If you’re in the Chicago area, Guarneri Hall is worth checking out! Obligatory disclosure: the founder is an acquaintance of mine https://guarnerihall.org/ Lots of good stuff on their youtube channel, too.