52nd Swiss Youth Music Competition: Expanded Program

For 2027, the SJMW is expanding its program while preserving the diversity that has set it apart for years: from early music to contemporary music, including composition and FreeSpace, all the way to the new solo discipline of pop/rock/jazz.

The goal remains the same: to offer young musicians, each on their own unique path, a platform where they can develop a program, compete before a jury and alongside other young people from all over Switzerland, and, above all, perform their own music on stage.

New with vocals: Pop/Rock/Jazz

The most significant change in 2027 concerns the former Jazz & Pop competition, which will return as part of a reorientation under the name Pop/Rock/Jazz. In the future, only solo disciplines will be offered. This new chapter begins in 2027 with solo vocals. In the coming years, additional instruments such as guitar, keyboards, and drums will be added. Alongside classical singing, young singers will thus have the opportunity to showcase their talents in a format focused on popular music that is specifically geared toward solo performance. The focus here is not merely on belonging to a specific musical genre, but above all on the opportunity to express and showcase one’s own artistic personality.

There is a great deal of flexibility in how the pieces are performed. They can be performed acoustically or with amplification. The performance can be accompanied by instruments, such as the piano or guitar, or using backing tracks.

The new direction takes into account the way young musicians make music today. The boundaries between pop, rock, and jazz are often blurred, as are those between interpretation and original musical creation. A personal arrangement, an improvisation, or an original composition can become an essential part of a performance. It is precisely this diversity that the SJMW aims to foster.

Further information can be found in the regulations, which are available in the «Downloads» section of our website.

2027: Focus on piano, organ, brass, guitar, and vocals

The solo disciplines will continue to be held on the established two-year cycle. The following instruments will be available for selection in 2027: piano, tuba, trumpet, organ, French horn, trombone, euphonium, classical guitar, mandolin, and voice (classical and pop/rock/jazz). In addition, there will be Early Music (before 1750) and Contemporary Music (from 1960 onward).

In the chamber music category, various categories are once again open for submission.

The result is a program that brings together a wide variety of repertoires, instruments, and ways of making music. For some, it offers the opportunity to tackle a challenging solo program; for others, the focus is on the experience of developing an interpretation together with fellow musicians.

Those who want to go beyond the existing repertoire will find that Composition and FreeSpace offer opportunities for personal creativity and experimental approaches.

The music takes center stage

Behind the diversity of disciplines lies a common idea: The competition is intended to be a place where young musicians can develop and showcase their musical identity.

Technical skill, of course, remains an important component. Equally crucial, however, are the ability to listen to one another in chamber music, the search for one’s own interpretation, engaging with music from different eras, and the experience of composing or improvising oneself. All of these are valuable steps on the path to developing one’s own musical personality.

This is another reason why the new Solo Vocal (Pop/Rock/Jazz) category has been deliberately designed to be open-ended. The goal is not simply to expand the list of eligible genres, but to create the conditions that allow every participant to present a program with which he or she identifies.

The SJMW cordially invites young musicians from all over Switzerland to participate in the competition and perform their music on stage. Next year, the winners will once again have the chance to win attractive special prizes in the form of scholarships or concert appearances.

Save the date

Registration deadlines: November 1–30, 2026

Submission Deadline for Composition and FreeSpace Projects: December 31, 2026

Regional Competitions: February 26–28, 2027, Arbon, Geneva, Lugano, Neuchâtel, Sion, Winterthur, Zug

Regional Organ Competition: March 5–7, 2027, Lenzburg

Finals: April 9–11, 2027, Lucerne (Music School + University)