Talent
Nikola Meeuwsen
plays a
grand piano
from Bösendorfer
from Bösendorfer
Nikola Meeuwsen
Wins the Queen
Elisabeth Competition
Nikola Meeuwsen
Wins the Queen
Elisabeth Competition
It surely hasn’t escaped your notice: Nikola Meeuwsen has won the prestigious Queen Elisabeth Piano Competition. “Our” Nikola, if we may say so—after all, he has a magnificent Bösendorfer on loan from the foundation. This is the first time a Dutchman has won this prize. At 23, Nikola was also the youngest finalist in the competition. We’re proud of this truly remarkable achievement and wish him all the best for his musical future!
News
4 June 2025
by Manon Veenendaal
Playful
He made a deep impression not only on the jury but also on the audience with his poetic, sensitive piano playing right from the first round. His performance of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 9 in the semifinals was phenomenal, and in the finals, he won over the jury with his playful and powerful performance of Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2.
Bösendorfer
What made this year’s piano competition especially remarkable was that four Dutch participants played grand pianos from the collection of Het Muziekinstrumentenfonds. Nikola has a 1979 Bösendorfer on loan at home. A while back, he said in an interview: “My grand piano is a wonderful companion to me.”
Miguel Iglesias Lista plays a 1976 Bösendorfer at home. Aidan Mikdad has a Fazioli on loan from the foundation. Finally, Nathalia Milstein is one of the regular players of the Steinway-D that her sister Maria Milstein has on loan from the MuziekHaven in Zaandam on loan from the foundation.
Concert Tip
On July 31, Nikola will perform with the Dutch Youth Orchestra Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43. This orchestra is led by conductor Jurjen Hempel. Jurjen is also a member of the fund’s Instrument Committee.