Application – The Jan Wallander prize
Handelsbanken and the Royal College of Music in Stockholm (KMH), welcomes applications for the Jan Wallander Prize!
Musicians express themselves through their instruments. First class instruments mean that musicians can hone their expressive skills – the instrument responds sensitively to the finest impulses and, with the beauty of its tone, contributes to the richness of expression.
The very finest instruments are exclusive works of handicraft art, while the same time being exquisite working items – and there are only a limited number of them. Therefore, the likelihood of a young, very talented music student being able to play one of the very finest instruments is tiny.
For this reason, Handelsbanken has founded a prize in co-operation with the Royal College of Music in Stockholm – the Jan Wallander Prize. The prize winner is chosen by an international jury.
The jury consists of Ulf Wallin, Ning Feng and the chairman of the jury Staffan Scheja.
The call is for you that the autumn term of 2025 is a registered student at one of Sweden’s music colleges on advanced level, with violin as the main instrument and specialization in classical music.
The price means that for a longer period of time, however, for a maximum of ten years, you can dispose of a violin of an exceedingly high-class instrument built by Andrea Postacchini 1856.
Read about the instrument: Handelsbanken Classic Instruments – Jan Wallanderpriset (jwpriset.se)
The prize will be awarded at a ceremony at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm on Thursday, March 26 2026 where the winner in expected to performe.
The application deadline is Friday, 23 January 2026. The application must be complete at the time of submission to be considered.
The application is sent by email to: jon.dahlkvist@kmh.se.
The following is to be enclosed with all applications:
- Certificate of personal data from the Swedish Population Register (Personbevis)
- Proof of studies confirming the eligibility described above
- Recommendation letter from your current main instrument (violin) teacher
- Video recording (audio and video) with a maximum total playing time of 20 minutes.
The repertoire must include a movement from a sonata and a movement from a concerto, one of which must have been composed before 1825. In-addition, there must be as a virtuoso work or a composition written after 2000.
The film should be sent digitally via Sprend or WeTransfer to the same address.
Questions about the application, please contact: Jon Dahlkvist (Concert Producer at KMH), jon.dahlkvist@kmh.se 076-717 44 03.