Ö1 Jazzstipendium 2026: Win a full scholarship + CD production!
The Ö1 Jazz Scholarship is entering its ninth round! Since 2018, this scholarship has been awarded as part of the Ö1 Talent Exchange in the form of a two-year program of study at the Jam Music Lab Private University in Vienna. Talents of all training levels up to the age of 28 who either hold Austrian citizenship or have their main residence in Austria are eligible to apply. The jury particularly values originality and a distinctive artistic voice.
Application procedure, audition:
Interested applicants can apply from December 1st until March 25, 2026 by e-mail to oe1-stipendium@jammusiclab.com with the following documents:
- Description or documentation of previous musical experiences and projects as well as previous musical training. A CV and a photo of the musician (at least 300 dpi).
- An uncut video with 2-3 meaningful musical performances by the applicant (preferably a recording of a live performance; professional image quality is not required, a cell phone recording is sufficient).
- Final round (live performance by the best applicants
- The scholarship certificate will be presented to the winner on Ö1 Jazz Day, April 30, 2026, during the evening Ö1 concert broadcast live on air.
Selection criteria
- The scholarship is awarded to Austrian citizens and non-Austrian citizens who are resident in Austria.
- Instrumentalists and vocalists up to the age of 28 (at the time of application) who fulfill the formal requirements for studying are eligible.
- The scholarship holder is characterized by a spirit of innovation and originality in his/her musical language. As a performer, he/she demonstrates openness and the ability for musical communication and interaction. His/her music expresses the exciting interrelations between the style-defining tradition and the composed and improvised forms of contemporary jazz.
- The scholarship holder will be available for two performances at Ö1 events (by arrangement with Ö1).
- Application deadline: March 25, 2026
The first recipient was saxophonist Robert Unterköfler, who received the scholarship certificate on April 30, 2018 – Ö1 Jazz Day, which is also UNESCO’s “International Jazz Day.” He has since been followed by drummer Lukas Aichinger (2019), violinist Constanze Friedel (2020), saxophonist and vocalist Madeleine Kaindl (2021), pianist Alan Bartuš (2022), guitarist Andreas Varady (2023), and bassist Nina Feldgrill (2024). In 2025, the then 24-year-old Carinthian pianist Thomas Quendler convinced the jury, composed of Elke Tschaikner (Head of the Ö1 Music Department), Dietmar Petschl (ORF TV Culture), guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel, US producer Jeff Levenson, Anke Fischer (Elbphilharmonie Hamburg), and Ö1 Jazz Editorial Director Andreas Felber.
Since 2023, the winner of the Ö1 Jazz Scholarship has also received the opportunity to produce a CD as an additional prize, in cooperation with the Vienna-based label Quinton Records, headed by producer Andreas Rathammer.
The application deadline for the Ö1 Jazz Scholarship is March 25, 2026. As always, the winner will be announced during the evening live broadcast on Ö1 Jazz Day, April 30, 2026. In 2026, the broadcast will come from the Treibhaus in Innsbruck for the first time. Applications can be submitted via: oe1-stipendium@jammusiclab.com
