Els Swaab
new chair of
The Musical Instrument Fund
On June 3, Prof. Wim Dik, M.Eng., will step down as chair of the Musical Instrument Fund. He will have held this position for over 14 years, making him the longest-serving chair in the fund’s history. He will be succeeded by Els Swaab, M.A.
The Musical Instrument Fund was established in 1988, thanks in part to master violinist Theo Olof, who also became its first chairman. He was succeeded by former minister Koos Andriessen, who in turn handed the reins over in 2001 to former state secretary and former KPN CEO Wim Dik. Under Wim Dik’s chairmanship, the fund made significant strides. For example, it acquired Herman Krebbers’ Bergonzi violin, and in 2008, a Petrus Guarnerius was added to the collection—the most expensive violin the fund has ever acquired. During Wim Dik’s tenure, the Musical Instrument Fund also won the Transparant Prize for the best annual report by a charity in the Netherlands. Measured by the number of professional musicians it assists, the Musical Instrument Fund grew under Dik to become the largest musical instrument fund in the world.
New Chairperson
Wim Dik will be succeeded by Els Swaab. She is best known in the art world as the former chair of the Council for Culture and is also involved with a large number of institutions in the world of art and culture and beyond.