Two RDAM students have received the Jacob Gade Foundation’s Main Prize 2025.

The chairman of the board of the Jacob Gade Foundation, Holger Bisgaard, presided over the award ceremony and presented the two main prize winners, Nichlas Overgaard and Piotr Stadnicki. In addition to the two main prize winners, there were six young talent award recipients, including clarinetist and RDAM student Villum Speyer Thomas. All were recognized for their exceptional musical achievements and potential and received their awards with great joy and pride.

"I am incredibly honored to receive such a prestigious grant – it feels like a dream come true. This recognition of my musical initiatives means a lot to me, and it is a joyful surprise that my work is noticed and appreciated. I am proud to represent the classical guitar, and with the support from this grant, I hope to both advance my own career and share the joy of the guitar’s intimate sound. Thanks to everyone who has supported me – especially my family and my teachers," says Nichlas Overgaard.

Piotr Stadnicki states: "It is with immense gratitude that I receive the Jacob Gade Foundation’s Grand Prize. I am deeply moved, and this award is a huge motivation for me to continue my work with even greater enthusiasm, as it represents the greatest support, I could receive to develop my talent and professional skills. Many thanks to the board for giving me this tremendous honor and help!"

Award Ceremony and Concert

The award ceremony at Louisiana took place on the 100th anniversary of the premiere of Jacob Gade’s Tango Jalousie, making it both an award presentation and part of this year’s centenary celebration program. The program was designed as a journey through time, featuring works from the period – including pieces by Rued Langgaard and Jacob Gade – performed in their original instrumentation by artists such as Tanja Zapolski, Bjarke Mogensen, Thera Ortved, Otilia Zielke, and the Absalon String Quartet.

The two prize winners, Nichlas Overgaard and Piotr Stadnicki, will perform in a separate concert at Louisiana on 23 November at 11:30 AM.

About Nichlas Overgaard

Nichlas Overgaard (b. 2001, Denmark) is a classical guitarist and master’s student at RDAM under associate professor Jesper Sivebæk. He has played guitar since the age of seven and has performed as a soloist and chamber musician at venues such as Tivoli Concert Hall, Musikkens Hus, Auditorium Giovanni Arvedi in Cremona, and Louisiana Concert Hall. He has also participated in masterclasses with internationally acclaimed guitarists including David Russell, Marcin Dylla, and Judicäel Perroy. Nichlas has won prizes at competitions such as the Aalborg International Guitar Festival and the Erik Satie Competition and has toured with Concerto Copenhagen and Sankt Annæ Girls’ Choir in Denmark, Germany, and Italy. In 2025, he released his debut album AL-MA together with vocalist Ronnie Aroeti and has premiered works by several contemporary composers.

About Piotr Stadnicki

Piotr Stadnicki (b. 2004) was born into a family of musicians in Copenhagen. He is currently enrolled in the bachelor’s program at RDAM, studying with Professor Tim Frederiksen and Professor Eszter Haffner.

Piotr has performed extensively both in Denmark and abroad, appearing at festivals in Germany, Denmark, Slovenia, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, and other countries. He has won 35 first and gold prizes at 22 international and 4 national competitions, including the Wieniawski-Lipinski Competition, the Berlingske Competition, the Jacob Gade String Competition, and the Lipizer Competition. He has also participated in masterclasses with leading pedagogues such as Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider, Tim Frederiksen, Zakhar Bron, and Kirill Troussov.

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Learn more about the Jacob Gade Foundation’s prizes

Learn more about the Jacob Gade Foundation’s centenary celebration of Tango Jalousie