Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben

The Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben, founded in 1962 by Hans Sikorski and Wolfgang Essen, is a private and non-profit foundation based in Hamburg. The patron of the foundation is the Federal President.

The foundation has made it its mission to accompany and support young, highly talented musicians on their path to a professional music career. The focus is on sustainable, individual, and committed support for the musical elite in Germany[2][4][5].

• Instrument Allocation: The foundation allocates outstanding, historical, and modern string instruments from the German Musical Instrument Fund as loans to young artists. Each year, around 260 instruments are awarded in a competition in Hamburg[3][5].
• Concert Series and Performance Opportunities: The foundation provides young musicians with valuable stage experiences through its own concert series and events with cooperation partners. An example of this is the annual benefit concert at the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg[2][5].
• Financial Support and Scholarships: The foundation supports its scholarship holders through financial assistance for their musical education as well as through special prizes and sponsorships[2][4][5].

The Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben is funded exclusively through donations and contributions. An important aspect of sustainability is the careful management and allocation of the instruments, including research into the origins of the instruments, especially those with possible connections to the Nazi era. This research is conducted in close international cooperation to ensure transparency and justice[3].

Among the former scholarship holders of the foundation are renowned artists such as Igor Levit, Baiba Skride, Olga Scheps, Nicolas Altstaedt, Alice Sara Ott, and many more. These artists often remain closely connected to the foundation and contribute to the continuation of its mission[2][5].

The Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben is thus a central pillar in the promotion of young musical talents in Germany by providing comprehensive support in the form of instruments, performance opportunities, and financial assistance.

• 1 - https://deutsche-stiftung-musikleben.de/foerderinnen/
• 2 - https://www.deutsche-stiftung-musikleben.de
• 3 - https://www.ndr.de/kultur/kunst/provenienzforschung/Musikinstrumentenfonds-Haben-verliehene-Instrumente-NS-Hintergrund,musikinstrumentenfond102.html
• 4 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deutsche_Stiftung_Musikleben
• 5 - https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deutsche_Stiftung_Musikleben