18th Century Stradivarius Violin Brings Comfort to Oncology and Dialysis Patients with Linus Roth’s Music

The Health Area of Ibiza and Formentera has once again hosted a new edition of Plantagrama, the music-based humanisation programme launched in September 2016.

On this occasion, the musical programme, which has welcomed over fifty artists during its nine years, collaborated with the Ibiza and Formentera Against Cancer Association (IFCC). This partnership enabled the esteemed German violinist Linus Roth to perform two brief concerts for oncology and nephrology patients, featuring pieces from Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons.

Linus Roth, a professor of violin at the Leopold Mozart Centre of the University of Augsburg, as well as the artistic director of the Leopold Mozart International Violin Competition in Augsburg, founder and artistic director of the International Concert Festival of Ibiza, and since 2020, the Schwäbischer Frühling music festival in Ochsenhausen, Germany, provided classical music to more than fifty people, including patients and healthcare professionals, in the Day Hospital and Dialysis Unit.

Linus Roth plays the 1703 Stradivarius “Dancla,” on loan from the musical foundation of L-Bank Baden-Württemberg. The Dancla Stradivarius, also known as the Dancla, Milstein, is a violin crafted by the Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari of Cremona and named after the French violinist Charles Dancla.

In 2006, Linus Roth was awarded the Echo Klassik prize for “Best Newcomer” for his debut album and received his second Echo award in 2017 for his recording of Shostakovich and Tchaikovsky’s violin concertos with the London Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Thomas Sanderling.

The virtuoso violinist from Ravensburg has specialised throughout his career in rediscovering unjustly forgotten works, with a particular focus on the compositions of Polish composer Mieczysław Weinberg.

Once again, Plantagrama has become a sanctuary of relaxation through music for the patients at Can Misses Hospital, thanks to the generous gesture of the German musician.

We must also extend our thanks to the fifty musicians, groups, and artists who have selflessly collaborated with this humanisation project, including Santi Pérez and Ramsés Puente, Il Duo Optimus, Grupo B-side, Duo de Arce, Los Canallas del Guateque, the duo of saxophonist Pere Prieto and pianist Elvira Ramón, Alfredo Souza and Doralice Souza, Projecte Mut, Chris Martos, the San Carlos Choir, the Santa Cruz Choir, La Década Prodigiosa, Nuria B. Walter, Somos Uno, Maxim Pashnik and pianist Nicoleta Mirca, Isabel María Albaladejo and Encantades, Rebobinando, Los Frígolos, Mad Soul, Dr Trapero, Voicello, Saligardos, Wataru Kousaka & Devaganari, Pin-Up Sound, magician Albert, David Devanagari, magician Lucas, Joaquín Garli’s Gospel Choir, Sentimiento Rociero, Antic Balàfia Ensemble, the Professional Conservatory of Music and Dance of Ibiza and Formentera Catalina Bufí, soprano Lucía Herranz and Jordi Martí, Azahar López, magician Paco Araque, Tales of Gloom, the jazz trio Musicaires, the sax quartet Pitiüsax, students of the Eivissa Music Conservatory, the Escola de música de Santa Eulària des Riu, Duo Lhav, formed by Lucía Herranz and Adolfo Villalonga, Sant Antoni Cowboyz, and most recently, last month’s saxophone group from the Eivissa Music Board.