About Instrument Loan Project
Nippon Music Foundation launched the Instrument Loan Project in 1994 to make greater contributions towards the field of classical music. The Foundation has now come to own 21 instruments made by Antonio Stradivari and Bartolomeo Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù and loans them gratis to young promising musicians and internationally active musicians regardless of their nationalities. Recipients of the Foundation's instruments are determined based on the selection at the Instrument Loan Committee Meeting held in July or August* every year. (*The time of the Meeting may change in some cases.)
As of 2 Dec 2024
INSTRUMENT LOAN 2025 Flyer
Application for Instrument Loan
Category A
Instrument: Violin
- Eligibility
- 35 years old or under as of 1 September 2025
- Length of Loan
- 2-7 years (To be informed in the result)
- Application Period
- Saturday 1 March 2025 - Tuesday 15 April 2025
- Application
- See Step 1 "Application" below
- Result
- To be notified approximately 1 month
after the Instrument Loan Committee Meeting
Category B
Instrument: Violin
- Eligibility
- Performing mainly in Japan
Violin: 35 years old or under as of 1 September 2025
- Length of Loan
- 2-3 years (To be informed in the result)
- Application Period
- Saturday 1 March 2025 - Tuesday 15 April 2025
- Application
- See Step 1 "Application" below
- Result
- To be notified approximately 1 month
after the Instrument Loan Committee Meeting
Category C
*Applications are not currently acceptable.
- Eligibility
- Must have a specific purpose of activities
(Recording, Competition, Anniversary Concert,
Special Concert, Debut Concert etc.)
- Length of Loan
- Up to 1 year (To be informed in the result )
- Application Period
- Within 1 year prior to the requested start date of the loan
- Application
- See Step 1 "Application" below
- Result
- To be notified about 1 month prior to
the requested start date of the loan
*Requires about 1 month for examination
*Applicants can apply for both A and B at the same time.
*The total possible loan period in Category A and B must be up to 7 years.
*Re-applying for Category A or B is possible during the loan in Category A, B, or C.
*Re-applying for Category C is possible after 2 years from the end date of the loan for those whose loan in Category A, B, or C has terminated.
Other
Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition
Since 1997, Nippon Music Foundation has loaned the Stradivarius 1708 Violin "Huggins" to the Grand Prize winners of the Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition of Belgium held in Brussels.
STEP.1Application
If you would like to apply for the loan, please read the following "Application Guideline" carefully and submit the application materials to the Foundation. Please note that the submitted materials will not be returned.
Application form
- 1．
- Two Recommendation Letters in English
- 2．
- Three Audiovisual Recordings of Your Playing (see the list of repertoire and details in the Application Guideline)
- 3．
- Biography in English
- 4．
- Performance Schedule of the Past One Year and the Next One Year in English
- 5．
- Performance Repertoire in English
- 6．
- Photography
Submission- Nippon Music Foundation
Tel: +81-(0)3-6229-5566Email: loan@nmf.or.jp
STEP.2Screening (Instrument Loan Committee)
The Instrument Loan Committee is responsible for selecting recipients of the instruments. The Committee is composed of members representing Europe, the United States and Asia.
Members
| Count Yvan de Launoit | Vice President of The Queen Elisabeth Competition, Belgium | |
| Mari Fujiwara | Cellist | |
| Sir Clive Gillinson, CBE | Executive and Artistic Director of Carnegie Hall | |
| Koichiro Harada | Violinist, Specially Appointed Professor at Toho Gakuen School of Music and Tokyo College of Music, Faculty at the Manhattan School of Music |
|
| Shinichiro Ikebe | Composer | |
| Kim Kashkashian | Violist, Professor of Viola and Chamber Music at New England Conservatory of Music |
|
| Ida Kavafian |
Violinist, Violist, Nina von Maltzahn Chair in Violin Studies at The Curtis Institute of Music |
|
| Jonathan Nott | Conductor | |
| Dmitry Sitkovetsky | Violinist, Conductor, Arranger |
STEP.3Result
A written notification will be sent to the applicant.
NOTICE:
The applicant who has been selected as a loan recipient is required to sign the Loan Agreement. Please note that the instrument to be loaned cannot be selected. Also, in case of travelling abroad with the Foundation's instrument, the loan recipient is required to sign the Memorandum for the ATA Carnet and make Customs declarations using the ATA Carnet. ※1 Some of the basic requirements about the Loan Agreement and the ATA Carnet are as follows:
- 1．
- Take proper care of the instrument by observing the instructions by the Foundation
- 2．
- Be sure that the Foundation can make contact anytime
- 3．
- Annual report on the use of the instrument
- 4．
- Place the instrument in the care of the instrument workshops designated by the Foundation ※2 every three months for its maintenance work
- 5．
- Perform gratis in concerts organized by the Foundation
- 6．
- Make Customs declarations using the ATA Carnet when travelling abroad with the Foundation's instrument ※3
- 7．
- Report to the Foundation on the use of the ATA Carnet
- 8．
- The loaned instrument must be re-imported in Japan before the expiration of the ATA Carnet (1 year after issuance) ※4
※1The ATA Carnet is an international customs document that provides duty and tax free customs clearance for temporary exports of goods (professional goods, commercial samples and goods for exhibitions) into foreign countries based on the A.T.A. Convention (Customs Convention on the A.T.A. carnet for the temporary admission of goods).
※2While the costs of repair and maintenance are assumed by the Foundation, the recipient is required to assume the travel fee for visiting the designated instrument workshops.
※3The Foundation limits the countries where the recipient is allowed to take the instrument.
※4The recipient is required to assume the travel fee for re-importing the instrument into Japan within the expiration of the ATA Caret.
