cultural activities
27
finnish cultural foundation
annual report 2013–2014
ago. It is nowadays used specifically for
the performance of Baroque music. The
Antonio Stradivari
violin belonging to
conductor
Paavo Berglund
has found its
place as one of the finest instruments in
the collection.
Despite the need for more instruments
expressed by the music field, the Finnish
Cultural Foundation does not intend to
make growing its collection an end in
itself. There appears at the moment to be
a pressing need for a few good cellos, and
for some time now the Foundation has
been preparing to purchase one. Finding
a suitable one may, however, take years.
The Foundation is assisted in its search by
a wide network of international experts.
Internationalisation is making new
demands on the instrument collection.
Many foreign foundations and collections
loan their instruments to the best
applicants regardless of nationality or
place of residence. The Finnish Cultural
Foundation is likewise receiving more
and more enquiries about instrument
loans each year. So far it has, however,
interpreted its Finnish national mission
in such a way that the applicant must have
a firm tie with Finland.
The Finnish Cultural
Foundation has a collection
of 46 stringed instruments.
