The Music Network National Instrument Collection

The Music Network National Instrument Collection
We have established the Music Network National Musical Instrument Collection with support from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. The current collection will provide exceptional emerging classical string players with access to high-quality instruments via a new award through the Musical Capital Scheme.

This initiative is designed to address the unique challenges faced by emerging professional classical musicians. A primary barrier for high calibre classical musicians in fulfilling their artistic and career potential is the lack of access to a suitable standard instrument.

Through the Music Capital Scheme the award will loan string instruments for a period of 3 years to exceptional players. Successful recipients may also be offered up to €5,000 towards the purchase of a new bow, which if availed of they will retain and own permanently.

The award is currently open to advanced violinists, violists and cellists who are in the early stages of a professional performance career, and who are Irish citizens or resident in the Republic of Ireland.

There are currently five instruments from the collection available through this award:

  • Violin: Gand & Bernardel Frères (1880)
  • Violin: Stephan von Baehr (2007)
  • Violin: Alexandre Valois (2024)
  • Viola: Charles John Wilkinson (1930)
  • The O’Neill Cello & Bow: Conor Russell cello (2015), Robert Pierce bow (2016)

We will continue to work to build and expand this national collection to allow our musicians to truly shine and provide access to this valuable collection for future generations to come.

Building a National Instrument Collection for Ireland

If you would like to find out how you can support the development of our national instrument collection, please contact Arantxa Colomé at development@musicnetwork.ie or at 01 4750224

Please see the guideline documents including information about the instruments available, for the most recent round of the Music Network National Instrument Collection (Music Capital Scheme Award 4) below.

New Guidelines documents will be in place for the next round of the Scheme.

Music Network National Instrument Collection Guidelines