Lost $170,000 Violin Reunited With Owner (VIDEO)

Music student Muchen Hsieh is counting her lucky stars after her $170,000 violin was recovered after being misplaced during holiday travel. The New England Conservatory student left the rare violin on a bus while travelling home for the holidays.

The 18-year old realized she had forgotten her prized instrument 30 minutes after she had gotten off of the bus. She promptly contacted the bus authorities who searched the bus and found the violin at the next stop, according to Bryony Chamberlain, a Megabus spokesman.

Hsieh's particular instrument was made in 1835 by Vincenzo Jorio in Naples, Italy. A Taiwanese foundation had furnished the violin for Hsieh's use. Ellen Pfeifer, spokeswoman for the New England Conservatory, remembered a time when famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma left his instrument in a cab.

"He got it back," Pfeifer said. She added that finding the right instrument for an individual can be a daunting task. "Choosing an instrument is a very personal thing," She said. "Choosing the exact one is kind of like choosing a lover."

View a video of Hsieh playing the priceless violin below.