Frequently Asked Questions
We are in the process of acquiring and preparing instruments for loan. Once we open applications, we will provide eligibility information.
NICO purchases contemporary instruments from today’s leading violin makers and pairs them with select performers. These instruments will have been vetted and played on by NICO’s advisory board.
NICO’s loans are free. NICO will cover instrument costs including insurance and repairs.
NICO grants instrument loans for a maximum of five years. NICO artists are not bound to the loan if their personal instrument situation develops and NICO’s instrument is no longer needed.
NICO is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that relies on generous, tax-deductible donations from patrons to sustain its mission.
Collecting and maintaining instruments, no matter what their age, requires significant financial support. If you are interested in giving a tax-deductible donation, either recurring or on a one-time basis, please contact us.
Hilary Hahn is NICO’s founding president. She advises on the musicians’ perspective as well as the playing experience and potential of the instruments being considered for acquisition.
Our board consists of Hilary Hahn, David Ludwig, Barbara Glauber, and Lawrence Maisel.
Older violins can be relatively unattainable for most players. NICO believes that the finest contemporary violins are truly valuable. By introducing carefully chosen new violins into the loaning model and tweaking a few traditions of the borrowing experience in favor of the players, NICO makes more options available for performers to find an instrument that brings out their best. At the same time, NICO supports the craft of living artisans and broadens the conversation around newer violins.
NICO is still in its start-up phase. It has acquired three violins and is in the process of fundraising to purchase more. Those three violins will be “played in” by professional violinists to prepare them for loaning. We are a small organization with personally invested board members and advisors, and we want to make sure that we are always proceeding thoughtfully, keeping players and artisans as our top priorities.