SJMW 2027: Pop Solo Vocals and Time-Tested Favorites for the Upcoming Edition
A new category—Pop Solo Vocals—as well as the established Classica disciplines, Composition, and FreeSpace, will shape the 2027 edition of the Swiss Youth Music Competition.
An Overview of the Offers
For the 2027 edition of the Classica Competition, participants will once again have the opportunity to perform both as soloists and in ensembles. The solo categories include piano, organ, trumpet, French horn, trombone, euphonium, tuba, guitar, classical voice, early music (pre-1750), and contemporary music. This range of categories combines traditional repertoire with more modern forms of expression and enables participants to showcase their musical skills, explore various forms of artistic expression, and further develop their individual or chamber music abilities.
The most significant change in the 2027 edition concerns the introduction of pop solo categories. The first step in this restructuring is the introduction of the “Pop Solo Vocals” discipline, which is intended to complement the already established “Classical Vocals” category. This also addresses a need expressed by music schools. In the coming years, additional pop solo categories—such as guitar and drums—are to be added. The goal is to gradually develop a program that meets the needs of younger generations of performers. At the same time, the competition’s high quality standards are to be maintained. Details and the rules for the 2027 competitions will be published in September on the website sjmw.ch.
In 2027, the Composition and FreeSpace competitions will continue to be part of the SJMW program. Both categories offer young people an important opportunity to express their creativity beyond traditional musical performance. “Composition” is aimed at participants who wish to create and present their own works, while “FreeSpace” provides a platform for innovative, interdisciplinary projects and new forms of artistic expression, thereby fostering experimentation and dialogue between different musical languages.
Locations and Key Dates
Registration Deadlines
November 1–30, 2026
Regional Competitions (Entrada)
February 26–28, 2027
Arbon, Geneva, Lugano, Neuchâtel, Sion, Winterthur, Zug
Regional Competition (Entrada) Organ
March 5–7, 2027
Lenzburg
Final
April 8–11, 2027
Lucerne Music School
Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Music
The SJMW invites young musicians, parents, and teachers to visit the website www.sjmw.ch for registration and information. The 2027 edition marks another step in the competition’s development and continues to focus on fostering musical talent and creativity among the next generations throughout Switzerland.
