Norway’s Anders Sveaas charitable trust lends violinist Pekka Kuusisto the Antonio Stradivari ‘Ex-Sandars’ from Cremona, 1695.
The Anders Sveaas charitable trust (ASAF) has one of the world’s largest collections of instruments made by Antonio Stradivari (currently eleven). ASAF also owns several superlative string instruments crafted by other luthiers from the golden age of violin making, including names such as Guadagnini, Amati, Ruggieri and Montagnana. It loans out such instruments to Norwegian and Nordic musicians as part of its extensive work in support of a range of public and charitable causes, from providing scholarships to individuals to funding festivals and concert series.
Artistic Director Peter Herresthal comments: “It’s fantastic to have one of today’s most exciting and creative star violinists in our roster of players. We look forward to supporting the journey that the incomparable Pekka Kuusisto and this incredible instrument will embark upon together. ”
In September 2025 the trust held a sold-out concert on the main stage of the Norwegian Opera in Oslo, showcasing its extraordinary collection of Stradivari instruments. The concert – “masterpieces performed on masterpieces” – featured no less than 10 Stradivari instruments and starred Pekka Kuusisto among others.
Other recent new members of the trust and recipients of instruments include Frederik Øland from the Danish String Quartet, violinist Alma Kraggerud and cellist Birgitta Oftestad.
About Pekka Kuusisto: https://www.harrisonparrott.com/artists/pekka-kuusisto
About Anders Sveaas’ Charitable Foundation (ASAF): https://asaf.no/english-summary
ASAF, the Anders Sveaas’ Charitable Foundation, is a private trust based in Oslo, Norway. In 2025 ASAF celebrated its 35th year of groundbreaking work in support of public and charitable causes, in particular organisations without relevant public funding. The foundation was established by the Norwegian businessman and art collector Christen Sveaas in 1990 and named after his grandfather Consul Anders Sveaas, the founder of AS Kistefos Træsliberi at Jevnaker in 1889.
Its diverse activities range from establishing a major art foundation – in order to protect artworks and access to art for future generations and now one of the most important in Europe – to ‘on-the-ground’ work supporting senior citizens and children in hospital. The foundation also owns one of the world’s finest collections of antique Italian string instruments, with instruments from names including Guadagnini, Amati, Ruggieri and Montagnana, plus an extraordinary eleven instruments made by Antonio Stradivari, which it lends to Norwegian and Nordic musicians.
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