JOSEPH BEIN, PRESIDENT & OWNER
Since founding Bein & Company, Joe Bein has been entrusted with, and sold, several of the world's most important Stradivari instruments. He recently sold a rare cello by Antonio Stradivari, of which only 50 or so exist, as well as the 1728 'Thunis' Stradivari for the exclusive use of Canadian Soloist Blake Pouliot. Soloists, Concertmasters and Principal players from many of the world’s top orchestras such as the Chicago Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Nashville Symphony, Seattle Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, Toronto Symphony, and Utah Symphony have worked directly with Joe to acquire their personal instruments and bows.
Joe has been invited to lecture and share his expertise on violins all over the world in cities like Chicago, Hong Kong, New York, & Los Angeles. He is a frequent lecturer for the Northwestern University’s Summer Violin Institute, The Colburn School of Performing Arts, and the Chicago Violin Making School. Joe was particularly honored to lecture at The University of Chicago at a recent concert for Chicago’s Grammy nominated Spektral Quartet and also spoke at a Chicago event for the visiting Board of Directors of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Most recently, Joe hosted a lecture on Stradivari at New York City's prestigious Knickerbocker Club to the at a special members-only event. He exhibited several imnportant Stradivari instruments and was accompanied by close friends Frank Huang (Concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic) and Jun Iwasaki, Concertmaster of the Kansas City Symphony.
​
Joe has cultivated an incredible network, many of whom were also his father’s closest colleagues and friends. This extensive network within the classical music world has helped in acquiring some of the rarest pieces for the most discerning artists.
​
Joe has also attended important violin exhibitions, including the 1994 Guarneri del Gesù exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum, the “Carlo Bergonzi, A Cremonese Master Unveiled” exhibition held in Cremona in 2010, and the landmark 2013 “Stradivarius” exhibition at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, England. Joe is currently a member of the Violin Society of America and has written several articles on instruments for the VSA's publication 'The Scroll."
The Bein family, Joe, his wife Nancy, and their three children live in suburban Chicago where he enthusiastically coaches his children's baseball, basketball, and flag football teams. Joe is also an avid Peloton rider (JRBEIN), runner, softball player, golfer, and devoted Chicago Cubs fan.
Oh and one more thing, Joe and his brother Chuck take home cooking very seriously. Over the years “Bein Iron Chef” nights have actually become a family tradition. Most recently, Joe recovered from his devastating loss to Nancy in "Battle Butternut Squash" to win the most recent "Battle Pig."