International prize for excellence and devotion in teaching music– Johanna Hondius Prize – has been established in memory of a distinguished piano teacher Johanna Hondius (1926 - 2001).

The Prize-winner was selected through a discreet process (without the prize-winner knowing) by a distinguished panel consisting of two musicians from the country where the prize is awarded (designated by the Kyiv Festival) - Principal of the National Music Academy of Ukraine Professor Volodymyr Rozhok and famous composer, Chairman of the Composers' Union of Ukraine Yevhen Stankovych, and one non-musician nominated by the Fundatio Hondius - Caroline Hondius (niece of Johanna Hondius). The procedure follows the tradition of another prize established by the Fundatio Hondius in 1997 - Praemium Hondianum.

The Johanna Hondius Prize is awarded in Ukraine in 2006 only, whereas the next prize will be awarded in another country that currently must remain undisclosed.

The Fundatio Hondius and the Kyiv Festival are exceedingly grateful for the hospitality to the Embassy of The Netherlands in Ukraine, where the winner was announced and the Prize awarded on 24 April 2006.

Yaroslava Rivniak, a leading Ukrainian violin teacher, was born in Ternopil in Western Ukraine. After studying at the Ternopil Music School she went on to study at the Moscow Conservatoire with Professor Boris Belenky (on faculty chaired by David Oistrakh). After graduation in 1972 she returned to Ukraine and since then was combining her performing career with teaching at the Kyiv Lysenko Special Music School and later also at the National Music Academy of Ukraine (former Kyiv Conservatoire).

During almost 35 years of dedicated teaching at these two prestigious music institutions, Yaroslava Rivniak has brought up a large number of violinists renowned both in Ukraine and abroad. Amongst her pupils are Olga Rivniak, Alina Komisarova, Zoya Nevhodovska, Dima Tkachenko, Myroslava Ivanchenko, Yevhen Kostrytsky, Tania Vavilina and many others.

In 2000 she was awarded a state honorary title “the Honoured Artist of Ukraine”.