Musical Instrument Loans
The Finnish Cultural Foundation’s collection of musical instruments is the most valuable in the country. It currently includes 58 string instruments and a harpsichord. In addition to rare instruments by old Italian and French masters, the collection also includes instruments suitable for the needs of students studying to become professional musicians. We lend instruments to musicians for a fixed period of time.
Cellist Senja Rummukainen plays the instrument borrowed from the Finnish Cultural Foundation. Photo by Eeva Suutari
Cultural Foundation’s application period: 15 to 30 Oct 2026 until 4 pm
Application schedule
You can apply to borrow an instrument during our application round from the 15th to the 30th October 2026. The application deadline is 4 pm Finnish time (EET).
Who can apply to borrow an instrument?
We lend instruments to professional musicians and music students. Borrowers must either reside in Finland or be Finnish citizens temporarily living abroad with a permanent address in Finland.
Loan period
The loan period for a musical instrument is three or five years.
Upon application, the most valuable instruments in the collection may be granted to the same person for a second or even a third loan period. Other instruments are loaned out for only one period.
Some of the instruments in the collection are intended primarily for people who have a connection to a specific region.
How to apply
Please submit your application via the Online Application Service during the Finnish Cultural Foundation’s application period.
Musical instruments available in 2026
Violins
- Patrick Robin II, Angers 1992
- Anon. ”Andrea Guarneri 1691”, saksal. 1800-l
- Anon. ”Ex Sulo Aro”, milanolainen, 1800-l
- Patrick Robin I, (Medaille d’or Paris 1991), Angers 1991
- Anon. ”Antonio Stradivari 1699”, mahd. saksal. 1800-l
- Joseph Hel (MKR), Lille 1889 (Varsinais-Suomi)
- Pierre & Hippolyte Silvestre I (MKR), Lyon 1838, (Satakunta)
- Charles François Gand (MKR), Paris ca. 1810, Keski- ja Etelä-Pohjanmaa
- Giovanni Battista Guadagnini II, Parma 1760
- Anon. ”Domenicus Montagnana 1735”, ranskal. 1700-l alkupuoli
Cellos
- Justin Derazey (MKR), Mirecourt ca. 1860
- Charles Jacquot (MKR), Paris 1856
Baroque Cellos
- Thomas Edlinger, Praha 1718
In addition
- Jan Boumeester or Hendrick Jacobs, 6-string bass viola da gamba, Amsterdam n. 1680
More information about the instrument 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 a harpsichord from the Pirkanmaa Regional Fund
The Pirkanmaa Regional Fund of the Finnish Cultural Foundation has acquired a Kennedy harpsichord with the aim of supporting high-quality professional music performances that take place in or are otherwise connected to the Pirkanmaa region.
However, we have not restricted the use of the harpsichord to this specific region only, and a connection to Pirkanmaa is not an absolute requirement for the loan.
The main idea is that, as part of the Finnish Cultural Foundation’s collection of instruments, the harpsichord is lent to artists for performance and rehearsal purposes for the duration of a single production.
If you are interested in borrowing the harpsichord, please send an email to skr.pirkanmaa.cembalo@gmail.com. You will receive a response from the Tampere Early Music Association (Tampereen vanhan musiikin ystävät ry).