Sejong Soloists launch second series of Stradivarius violin ‘Cobbett’ NFT collection

Sejong Soloists released the second series of the Stradivarius Violin “Cobbett” NFT collection on December 27, 2022. Following in the footsteps of the first, this series blends the highest quality of classical masterpieces with stunning new visual artworks. These NFTs are the result of the continued collaboration between the internationally renowned chamber orchestra Sejong Soloists and AI Network.

This new collection of 350 NFTs, “Cobbett” No. 2, centers on a staple of the classical musical repertoire, the fugue from Bach’s Solo Violin Sonata No. 1 in G minor. This release features a performance by Sejong Soloist violinist Stephen Kim, production by six-time Grammy-winning producer and engineer Da-Hong Seetoo, and artwork by multi-faceted artist and musician Amy Kang. Kang’s artwork for this series is based on – and interactive with – the music of each NFT.

The “Cobbett” No. 2 NFT collection, named after the famous “Cobbett” Stradivarius violin, comes in three levels: Maestro, Virtuoso and Prodigy. The Maestro layer is a recording of the fugue by violinist Stephen Kim on the “Cobbett” violin from which this series takes its name. The music forms a symbiotic relationship with Amy Kang’s artwork: as the music plays, the artwork evolves in time, and the result is a beautiful, syncretic and distinctive piece of multi-medium art.

As in the Maestro team, the Virtuoso team has the NFT Fugue as performed by Kim with artwork by Kang, but in a shorter form. “The Maestro and Virtuose pieces are visual representations of Bach’s Solo Violin Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, Fugue. I use color as a language to bridge the gap between art and music,” said Amy Kang.

With the Prodigy team, the artist listened to the AI-generated music and created a “color score” for the notes using a similar color system, assigning a different color to each note. The color of the stripe or square indicates the pitch, and the width and size represent the length of the note. Each color is chosen specifically for the note it represents. The AI ​​sound models developed by POZA Labs, an AI music company in South Korea, use the artificial intelligence model used in the field of natural language processing (NLP) and are created from the AI’s analysis of Bach’s Fugue. The resulting computerized violin performances shown in this level are in the style of Fugue.

“Collaboration with AI companies gives Sejong Soloists the opportunity to expand the classical music community in new ways, building on the history of community development in art music through cutting-edge technology. By creating NFTs, we can provide audiences with a unique memory that also helps keep them connected to the larger ecosystem of music lovers,” said Kyung Kang, creative and managing director of Sejong Soloists.

These NFTs have been made available with the support of POZA Labs, The Only Moments, and Rare Violins of New York.

Follow the NFT Classics Society on Twitter (@nftclassic_soc) or Discord. For more information on the “Cobbett” NFT and the NFT Classics Society, visit https://www.nftclassicsociety.ai/.

ABOUT NFT CLASSICS SOCIETY

The NFT Classics Society (NCS) is a digital community for classical music. Created by AI Network, Sejong Soloists and The Only Moments, NCS plans to release a series of classical music NFTs.

ABOUT AI NETWORK

AI Network is a blockchain-based, cloud computing architecture for the internet and is collaborative for AI. Through a decentralized cloud infrastructure, AI Network turns open source projects into live services. This stimulates the establishment and use of innovative programs globally.

ABOUT SEJONG SOLOSTER

Sejong Soloists have performed internationally on the world’s big stages, and at American venues such as Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center at their invitation. Since its inception 28 years ago, the orchestra has played 600 concerts in more than 120 cities around the world. The Sejong Soloists served as an honorary ambassador for the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Games and ensemble-in-residence at the Aspen Music Festival for nine seasons.

From 2004 to 2010, Sejong Soloists played a leading role in the creation and development of the Great Mountains International Music Festival (now Music in PyeongChang). Sejong Soloists also strives to cultivate future generations of performers and is committed to advancing the artistry and leadership of its musicians. Current and former Sejong members as concertmasters of the New York Philharmonic, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Montreal Symphony and Hamburg National Philharmonic Orchestra continue to perform as ensemble members around the world.

Sejong Soloists was established as a string orchestra in New York in 1994, consisting of eleven young international artists invited by Hyo Kang, professor of violin from the Juilliard School. Sejong Soloists has ventured and grown with bold performances and repertoire ranging from chamber music to symphony orchestra, to collaborations with eclectic soloists.

ABOUT STEPHEN KIM

American violinist Stephen Kim is constantly praised for his originality and honest performances. Stephen gained international recognition most recently, winning third prize in the 2019 Queen Elisabeth International Violin Competition. In 2020, he made his Carnegie Hall debut with the Juilliard Orchestra. He was also the first violinist in the history of the Aspen Music Festival to win all three violin competitions in 2014, 2013 and 2011. Stephen holds a Bachelor of Music from the Curtis Institute of Music, a Master of Music from the Juilliard School, and is currently pursuing professional studies at the Kronberg Academy in Germany.

ABOUT AMY KANG

Amy Kang is a professional cellist and painter based in New York City. Her work often involves visual representations of classical music as well as elements of aleatoric. Her first solo exhibition appeared at The Arts Club of Washington (DC) and has been followed by a solo exhibition at Studio Kki (Paju, South Korea), a group exhibition at HNH Gallery (New York), and a solo exhibition at Gallery Jung (Seoul , South Korea). Amy studied cello privately with renowned cellist Fred Sherry, studied painting at the renowned L’Ecole Marchutz in Aix-en-Provence, France, and holds a BA in English Literature from Columbia University.

ABOUT DA-HONG SEETOO

Six-time Grammy winner Da-Hong Seetoo has emerged as one of a handful of elite audio engineers, using his own custom-designed microphones, monitor speakers and computer software. His recent clients include the Emerson, Miró and Tokyo String Quartets, the Beaux Arts Trio, pianists Daniel Barenboim and Christopher O’Reilly, violinist Gil Shaham, the Singapore and Taipei Symphony Orchestras, and David Finckel and Wu Han for the ArtistLed label.

ABOUT COBBETT, a violin by Antonio Stradivari, Cremona, 1683

Antonio Stradivari (1644-1737) is the most famous violin maker of all time. He worked in the small northern Italian town of Cremona, leaving behind an unparalleled legacy. The “Cobbett” Stradivarius is made on a grand pattern with dimensions very similar to large-form instruments made during his golden period. The tone is vibrant and silky with tremendous staying power. The violin is named after a former owner, English amateur violinist and author in the field of chamber music, Walter Wilson Cobbett, and is on loan to Sejong Soloists.