On 24 September we celebrate the annual KC Awards. During this festive and musical evening, students will showcase their versatile talents. Thanks to the support of funds, companies, and individuals, they will receive awards and scholarships for their exceptional achievements in the past academic year. Together, we look back on a successful year and forward to a promising new academic season. We look forward to an inspiring evening!
Below you will find all information about the awards.
Scholarships and prizes made possible by our partners
Substantial study scholarships for exceptionally talented master’s students
Fonds 1999 supports initiatives that make society happier, more inclusive, and more positive. Education is an important principle in the selection of projects. Fonds 1999 makes it possible to award several substantial scholarships to master’s students who stand out with their talent and ambition and/or for whom there is a significant financial barrier to studying at the Royal Conservatoire because they come from a country with limited economic strength.
Scholarships for exceptionally talented master’s students
The Ritsema van Eck Fund has supported the Excellence Scholarship program of the Royal Conservatoire from the very beginning. These scholarships are awarded to students who have performed outstandingly in their admission exams for a master’s program at the Royal Conservatoire.
Awards for talents in the Classical and Early Music departments with an entrepreneurial masterplan
The Keep an Eye Foundation, for emerging young talent, was founded by people who truly believe in the power of creativity and art: “At the Keep an Eye Foundation it’s all about showing your talents and further developing them. We collaborate with leading educational institutions and festivals in the Netherlands and abroad to support emerging, talented artists, designers, musicians, and other creatives!”
Outstanding master’s final presentation in Sonology
The annual Konrad Boehmer Prize is awarded to an outstanding and original final Sonology master's presentation, which includes the artistic work and the written thesis.
Konrad Boehmer was a composer, musicologist and music critic. and teacher of theory and music history. He had been affiliated with the Royal Conservatoire as a teacher of music theory and history since 1972, and lived at odds with Dutch musical life. From 1994 until his retirement in 2006, he led the Institute for Sonology.
Best final presentation in Early Music (Bachelor or Master)
In 2024 the Toos Onderdenwijngaard Award was presented for the first time, made possible by the Adriana Jacoba Fund. Toos Onderdenwijngaard (1926–2019) was a Dutch concert pianist. In the 1970s and 1980s, she frequently appeared on major Dutch and international concert stages. She performed with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, and collaborated with conductors such as Bernard Haitink and Antal Doráti. Her involvement was of great importance to the Royal Conservatoire, especially the Early Music department.
Prizes for outstanding research proposals
With its interest in the interaction between music and science, Stichting De Zaaier awards financial prizes to Royal Conservatoire master’s students in support of their master’s research projects. Candidates are selected based on a research proposal submitted as part of the course Introduction to Research in the Arts in the first year of their master’s.
The new TSH Changemaker Scholarship is awarded to exceptionally talented students who face extraordinary challenges due to their personal circumstances. The scholarship consists of housing for one academic year at The Social Hub with access to all facilities. In addition, TSH provides mentorship, a program focused on mental/social/physical wellbeing, and access to the TSH Changemaker Community.
Prizes made possible by the Royal Conservatoire Fund
Best piano presentation
The Cuijpers Prize originates from the legacy of Mr. J.M.I. Cuijpers in 1929. Since then, a prize has been awarded annually to a student of the Royal Conservatoire to support talented piano students in their development.
Best overall final presentation
The Fock Medal is the oldest prize of the Royal Conservatoire. It was established in 1904 when Mr. C. Fock wished to celebrate his 25 years as chairman of the Supervisory Committee of the then Royal Conservatoire of Music. At the time, it was a genuine gold-silver medal.
Best final presentation in Dance
The KC Dance Award, introduced in 2024, goes to the dancer with the best final presentation in the fourth and final year of the Bachelor’s program. The prize stimulates the dancer’s further development.
Best Master Research presentation
The KC Research Prize is awarded annually to a master’s student who has successfully completed their research project and delivered a convincing presentation during the Master Research Symposium. The winning student has contributed to broader knowledge in their chosen field.
Prize for exceptional artistic development
A new prize for graduating students of the School for Young Talent who have shown exceptional artistic development. These may be students in music, dance, or visual arts.
Best final presentation in Composition
The Henk van der Meulen Award for emerging composition talent was made possible thanks to donations to the Royal Conservatoire Fund on the occasion of Henk van der Meulen’s departure as director of the Royal Conservatoire in 2023.
Best presentation of a contemporary composition in a violin final presentation
The Jaring Walta Prize was established in memory of Jaring Walta (1941–2020), a gifted violinist and for nearly 40 years a teacher at the Royal Conservatoire.
Jaring Walta was the initiator of the Iordens Violin Days, the Davina van Wely Competition, and the Yehudi Menuhin Foundation. He was one of the driving forces in uniting the various violin competitions into the National Violin Competition.
Most exceptional final presentation, category “other instruments”
W.F.G. Nicolaï, former director (1865), played a crucial role in the development and expansion of the Royal Conservatoire in the late 19th century. He left a lasting legacy through the Nicolaï Fund. The Nicolaï Prize was established in 1898 for final presentations of creative departments and “other” instruments not including violin, piano, or voice.
Best violin presentation in Early or Classical Music
The Willem Bouman Grant for talented violinists of the Royal Conservatoire is named after the internationally renowned violin maker. The prize was made possible by a generous donation from the former Rotary Music Fund to the Royal Conservatoire Fund.