The Ö1 Jazz Scholarship 2026 Final at Funkhaus Vienna highlighted the remarkable quality of a new generation of Austrian jazz musicians. As one of Austria’s leading platforms for young jazz talent, the Ö1 Jazzstipendium connects jazz competition, higher music education, and professional music studies in Vienna. According to the current JAM MUSIC LAB announcement, the scholarship is awarded as a two-year Bachelor’s or Master’s programme at JAM MUSIC LAB Private University for Jazz and Popular Music Vienna.
The six finalists of the 2026 edition were Tillmann Risse, Carla Kaltenböck, Adrian Varady, Michael Horvath, Marion Wolf, and Serafin Javorka. Their live performances at the final round reflected artistic individuality, improvisational depth, and a strong sense of musical communication — all qualities that are essential for the future of contemporary jazz, jazz performance, and the evolving Austrian jazz scene. The live final took place on 8 April 2026 at Funkhaus Vienna.
The jury included Wolfgang Muthspiel, Marcus Ratka, Jeff Levenson, Andreas Felber, Elke Tschaikner, Anke Fischer, and Dietmar Petschl. Their participation underlined the national and international relevance of this renowned jazz scholarship, which has become an important meeting point for music education in Vienna, jazz studies in Austria, and the development of the next generation of professional instrumentalists and vocalists.
The winner of the Ö1 Jazz Scholarship 2026 will be announced on 30 April 2026 during the evening Ö1 Jazz Day concert broadcast live on air, in the context of International Jazz Day. In this way, the scholarship once again links artistic excellence, jazz education, and public cultural visibility, while offering a decisive career step for emerging artists in jazz, popular music, and professional university-level music training.