Instrumental loans
The purpose of the Finnish Cultural Foundation's instrument collection is to acquire instruments for the Foundation to own and lend to musicians. Currently, the collection consists of fifty-eight string instruments and a harpsichord. In addition to instruments by old Italian and French masters, quality instruments for advanced students are also available.
Cellist Senja Rummukainen plays the instrument borrowed from the Finnish Cultural Foundation. Photo by Eeva Suutari
The March Round: 10 to 31 March 2025 until 4 pm
Loan periods
As a rule, the loan period is ca. five years, and consecutive loans of the same instrument are not permitted. However, the most valuable instruments in the collection can be granted to the same person for another or even for a third loan period. Some instruments have specific requirements concerning their regional usage.
Who can apply
The instruments are lent primarily to persons permanently residing in Finland. A Finnish applicant’s studies abroad make an exception to this rule.
Grant application schedule and decisions
It is possible to apply for an instrumental loan in the March Round. Applications close at 4 pm Finnish time on the last day of the application period.
A committee of experts of the instrument collection makes the proposals to the Finnish Cultural Foundation board of trustees. The decisions will be released at the latest by the end of May.
Instruments for loan 2025
For a loan period of five years:
Violins
- Andrea Guarneri, Cremona 1680
- Gand & Bernardel, Paris 1888
- Anon. ”Antonio Stradivari 1727”, France, mid 19th centur
- Andrea Robin-Frandsen, Angers 1996
- Franco Simeoni I, Treviso 1990
- Franco Simeoni II, Treviso 1991
- Franco Simeoni III, Treviso 1991
- Pierre Hippolyte Silvestre II, Lyon 1840, No. 221
Violas
- Anon. “ex Eino Uuskallio”, Tyrolean, c. 1800
- Anon. ”Felice Guadagnini 1865”, (Berlin School 1930-35)
Cello
- Claude-Augustin Miremont, Paris 1883
For a loan period of three years:
Violin
- Gianbattista Rogeri (baroque), Brescia 1691
Viola
- Anon. “French” (baroque), c. 1750
More information about the instrumental loans:
Päivi Loponen-Kyrönseppä
Competition Director, Senior Advisor
Mirjam Helin Singing Competition, Mirjam Helin Singing Academy
Instruments of the Collection
Violins
Hieronymus II Amati, Cremona 1678 *
Giuseppe Gagliano, Napoli 1760 *
Niccolo Gagliano, Napoli 1735 *
Paolo (Giovanni) Grancino, Milano ca. 1690 *
Giovanni Battista Guadagnini I, Milano 1754 *
Giovanni Battista Guadagnini III, Milano ca. 1755 *
Giovanni Battista Guadagnini II, Parma 1760 *
Andrea Guarneri, Cremona 1680 *
Spiritus Sorsana ”Liisa Huovinen”, Cuneo ca. 1700 *
Antonio Stradivari “ex Berglund”, Cremona 1699 *
Charles François Gand, Pariisi ca. 1810 **
Pierre & Hippolyte Silvestre I, Lyon 1838 **
Pierre & Hippolyte Silvestre II, Lyon 1840 **
Joseph Hel, Lille 1889 **
Gand & Bernardel, Pariisi 1888 **
Eero Haahti, Helsinki 1990
Jaakko Mäkelä, Helsinki 2000
Patrick Robin I (Medaille d´or Paris 1991), Angers 1991
Patrick Robin II, Angers 1992
Andrea Robin-Frandsen, Angers 1996
Franco Simeoni I, Treviso 1990
Franco Simeoni II, Treviso 1991
Franco Simeoni III, Treviso 1991
[Anon.] “ex Sulo Aro”
[Anon.] “Andrea Guarneri 1691”
[Anon.] “Guarneri del Gesù 1728”
[Anon.] “Domenicus Montagnana 1735”
[Anon.] “Antonio Stradivari 1727”
[Anon.] “Antonio Stradivari 1699”
[Anon.] “S.S. Utinensis 1741”
Baroque violin
Gianbattista Rogeri, Brescia 1691 *
Violas
Jean-Babtiste Vuillaume, Pariisi 1870 *
Gerriet Groth, Wiesbaden 1980
Eero Haahti, Helsinki 2009
Andrea Robin-Frandsen, Angers 1996
Franco Simeoni, Treviso 1989
[Anon.] “Felice Guadagnini 1865”
[Anon.] ”ex Eino Uuskallio”
Baroque Viola
[Anon.] “Ranskalainen”, ca. 1750
Cellos
Luigi Bajoni, Milano ca. 1850 *
Giovanni Grancino, Milano 1699 *
Albert Jacquot, Nancy 1903 *
Claude-Augustin Miremont, Pariisi 1883 *
Claude Pierray, Pariisi 1714 *
Jean-Baptiste Salomon “ex Yagling”, Pariisi ca. 1750 *
David Tecchler, Rooma 1707 *
Carlo Giuseppe Testore, Milano 1718 *
Justin Derazey, Mirecourt ca. 1860 **
Charles Jacquot, Pariisi 1856 **
Patrick Robin, Angers 1996
Baroque Cello
Thomas Edlinger, Praha 1718
Viols
Loaned as an undivided whole for collective use.
Diskantti, Henner Harders I, 2000
Diskantti, Henner Harders II, 2000
Tenori, Henner Harders I, 2001
Tenori, Henner Harders II, 2001
Basso, Dietrich M. Kessler, 1999
Harpsichord
Bruce Kennedy, Castelmuzio 2018 **
For short-term loans only, separate application procedure, see below for more information.
* Can be granted to the same person for up to three consecutive loan periods.
** Preference for applicants with a link to a specific province.
Loan of harpsichord from the Pirkanmaa Fund
The Finnish Cultural Foundation’s Pirkanmaa Fund has acquired the Kennedy harpsichord with the aim of supporting professional and high-quality performing music activities in Pirkanmaa or otherwise related to the region. However, the use of the harpsichord is not restricted to a specific region and the link with Pirkanmaa is not a precondition for receiving the loan.
The main purpose of the harpsichord is to lend it to artists for performance and rehearsal purposes on a production-by-production basis as part of the Cultural Foundation’s collection of instruments.
To inquire about the loan of the harpsichord, please contact