Soirée (work introduction): April 1, 2025

Editor's note: The text by Herbert Büttiker was first published on March 12, 2020. The current version has been revised to reflect the new circumstances.

For the first time since its digital reorientation, the Swiss Yearbook of Musicology is presenting a special edition guest-edited by the two ethnomusicologists Helena Simonett and Patricia Jäggi from the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU) and resulting from their research project Seeking Birdscapes. Four main articles and two artistic contributions approach birdsong from different perspectives.

In their introduction, Helena Simonett and Patricia Jäggi introduce the topic of "Birdscapes" and present the Lucerne research project. In his essay "The Anatomy of a Benign Failure", Gergely Loch deconstructs Péter Szőke's anthropocentric assertion that both birdsong and human song are the result of identical neurological and physiological processes. Andrew Whitehouse's essay "Inquisitory Birds" questions the ethics of the method of playback of birdsong when it comes to luring rare bird species out of hiding for research purposes. A walk through the Swiss sound forest Tùn Resùn forms the basis of the article by Nathalie Kirschstein and Helena Simonett, which documents and categorizes the multisensory experiences of various witnesses.

Emily Doolittle introduces her compositions Gannetry, a multimodal work inspired by the sounds of Scottish gannets and created in collaboration with the poet Dawn Wood. Finally, Matthias Lewy and Helena Simonett will present the exhibition Birdscapes, which is closely linked to the research project at HSLU and was on display at Naturmuseum Luzern in 2022.

Animals making music?

It seems no coincidence that the "music-making" of animals is now the focus of a musicological publication. The growing concern about our environment - caused by the current climate crisis and the increasingly dwindling and changing natural habitat and associated soundscapes - calls for a closer look and listen, a radical rethink about the role of the Anthropocene and the search for new ways of dealing with our world.

Musicological research, particularly in human-animal studies, sound ecologies and ecomusicology, is becoming increasingly important, which led to the establishment of an international research group in Nuremberg last October dedicated to the research focus "Multispecies Sound and Movement Studies". With its focus on birdsong, the special volume of the Swiss Yearbook of Musicology fits in well with the current research debates.

The Arosa Culture Association has been offering the Arosa Music Course Weeks for 39 years. Every summer and fall, around 1450 participants find their way to the magnificent mountain world of Arosa. Around 200 experienced instructors from Switzerland and abroad are involved. The courses, most of which last 6 days, are aimed at amateur musicians as well as professional musicians and students.

Not only music courses on offer

Around 80 instrumental courses are offered for a wide variety of string, wind, keyboard and percussion instruments. A varied program awaits participants in the various choir and singing weeks.

But Arosa Culture doesn't just offer music courses. The program also includes painting courses, various dance courses, an instrument making course and a literature weekend. Once again, there are also various beginners' courses and special courses for children and young people.

New in the program

The following courses will be offered for the first time in 2025: Indian flute with Samuel Staffelbach - Handpan for advanced students with Kay Rauber - Tango for string instruments with Katharina Deissler - Contemporary music for flute with Rebecca Blau - Folk music for existing formations with Madlaina Küng and Thomas Aeschbacher - Mongolian horsehead fiddle and throat singing with Bayanzul Damdinsuren - Viola da gamba with Soma Salaat-Zakariás - Baroque violin with Claire Foltzer - Historical basso continuo playing on the harpsichord with Andreas Westermann - Chamber music for strings and guitar with Nicolas Corti and Han Jonkers - Music by Hannes Meyer with Matthias Gubler - Chamber music with Trio Degas - Body-Music-Mentales with Ivo Prato - Dance course for beginners:innen ü45 with Peter Wingling - Wedding dance course with Valeria Klaus - Literature weekend on Hermann Hesse with Reto Bonifazi - The A - Z of time with Anna Jelen - Singing and making music in Zwergliland with Bettina Boller and Christina Schwerzenbach (for children aged 2 - 5).

Arosa Music Academy and master classes

The Arosa Music Course Weeks are also an international player in the area of top-level promotion. 14 different master classes and two Arosa Music Academies will take place in Arosa in summer and fall 2025. Several prizes from the Hans Schaeuble Foundation will be awarded to participants.

Information and registration

All information about the courses and registration can be found at . The printed course program can be ordered from Arosa Kultur (see contact). There is a CHF 40.00 discount for early bookers until the end of February.

The annual scholarship competition of the Kalaidos University of Music took place on November 11, 2024. This funding instrument honors outstanding young artists and complements the services of the Kalaidos Scholarship Fund, which supports students in difficult financial situations.

Students from all study programs at the Kalaidos University of Music were invited to give an approximately twenty-minute performance of pieces in various styles in order to qualify for the scholarships and prizes. From virtuoso violin sonatas to pop songs, a wide variety of pieces, interpretations and very personal styles could be heard on this concert day.

Students from the classical and jazz/pop departments sang and played violin, viola, double bass, trumpet, piano and flute. Music education students also applied for the scholarships on offer. Experts were invited for each of the different instruments to assess the performances of the individual students. Of course, it was not easy for the jury to award the scholarships and prizes - they had to compare many excellent performances of different styles and instrument groups and the teaching samples with each other and give special recognition to some of them.

We are therefore particularly pleased to announce the musicians who have been awarded prizes in this year's Kalaidos University of Music scholarship competition! A total of 10 scholarships were awarded by the jury, consisting of Prof. Dr. Michael Bühler, Dr. Leslie Leon, Jens Bracher, Dr. Stefan Häussler and Erna Ronca. The scholarships provide the winners with full tuition fees for 6 or 12 months.

Our heartfelt congratulations go to:

- Nicola Angileri - Master of Arts Kalaidos FH in Music Education

- Immanuel Brunner - Bachelor of Arts FH in Music with a specialization in Classical Music

- Adeline Favre - Bachelor of Arts FH in Music with a specialization in Classical Music

- Aida Jauslin - Master of Arts Kalaidos FH in Music Education with specialization in Jazz & Popular Music

- Lilla Krájer - Bachelor of Arts FH in Music with a specialization in Classical Music

- Elisabeth Kulmer - Master of Arts Kalaidos FH in Music Education with a specialization in Classical Music

- Milana Perduv - Master of Arts Kalaidos FH in Music Education with a specialization in Classical Music

- Zhixin Zhang - Master of Arts Kalaidos FH in Music Performance with specialization in Classical Music

- Zeyu Zhao - Master of Arts Kalaidos FH in Music Performance with specialization in Classical Music

- Tatiana Zubova - Master of Arts Kalaidos FH in Music Education with a specialization in Classical Music

We wish all prizewinners much success and joy on their musical journey and are delighted to be able to support them in achieving their goals! We know from our own experience what great commitment, perseverance and creative energy musicians need to learn a musical instrument from an early age, to spend countless hours perfecting their technique and musical interpretation and to persevere through all obstacles, not least financial ones, to become enthusiastic about music and to share this enthusiasm with an audience. Our love of music sometimes makes us forget the great effort that goes into giving everything for a profession that is sometimes associated with challenging working conditions.

We are delighted to be able to financially support the work of these young artists and hope that our work will help these musicians to continue to develop in their own individual style and to continue to infect their audiences with their enthusiasm for music and enchant them with their richness of expression - after all, we have learned in recent years that, especially in moments of uncertainty and fear of the future, deeply felt artistic expression and the commitment of a young generation can give us strength and hope to face the future more optimistically and turn it into something positive.

For the fifth edition of the new digital Swiss Yearbook of Musicology (vol. 42 (2025)), the editorial team invites authors to submit articles on the topic of "Temporality in Music". At the same time, the editorial team encourages researchers who are currently working on music projects at Swiss research institutions to present them as research reports.

Time and temporality in music

In this issue, various aspects of time and temporality in music will be examined culturally, geographically, historically, conceptually and theoretically. Music has a unique effect on our perception of time. In the concert hall or at the disco, time is perceived to run differently than in everyday life. This flexible and hybrid character of time has been used consciously and unconsciously by composers, performers, musicians and (inter)national institutions throughout history and around the world.

In order to understand how music and temporality are linked in a unique way, it is necessary to transcend the boundaries of narrow musicology. Contributions are therefore required from various sub-disciplines. In addition to musicology, ethnomusicology and music education, these include literary studies, cultural history, film studies, gender studies and social sciences.

We ask ourselves, for example, how are musical phenomena shaped and changed in the form of memory, anticipation or nostalgia? What role does time play in the revival of an old folk song, how did it sound then, how does it sound today? How do narrative devices such as acceleration and flashback function within certain conventions in different historical and cultural contexts? How can we understand the complex interplay of different temporalities in music, e.g. how is a story that takes place over several days or years presented musically within a few hours in an opera?

Such musical time phenomena are not bound to a particular musical style or epoch: they can be examined on the basis of a symphony, a rock concert or a jazz improvisation.

Three formats for publication

The main articles of max. 40,000 characters (including spaces and footnotes) on the subject of time and temporality in music form the main part of the issue and are subject to a double blind review. In the "Contemporary Witnesses" section, shorter contributions of max. 10,000 characters (including spaces and footnotes) are published that are dedicated to the topic of musical temporality. These can take different formats, e.g. a written, acoustic or visual presentation of an original historical or musical source, an interview with an artist or expert or a statement on current events. The "Werkstatt-CH" section publishes selected contributions that highlight current approaches and issues from Swiss research institutions. These can also have different formats, such as posters or other digital formats. These contributions are not tied to the main topic of the issue.

Fully edited article proposals in German, Italian, French, Romansh or English should be submitted by February 15, 2025 at the latest via the website to be submitted. Notification of acceptance will be sent in March 2025 and the issue will be published at the end of 2025.

You're standing on stage with weak knees, your pulse is racing and your hands are sweaty. You actually wanted to focus on making music, but now your thoughts are all about your nervousness. Does this situation sound familiar?

Stage fright can severely impair performance. When the body is under stress, the stress hormone cortisol is released, which triggers symptoms such as trembling, sweating or shallow breathing. Although the stress reaction takes place subconsciously, it can be influenced by specific techniques - for example, conscious breathing.

A helpful technique for conscious breathing is "square breathing", which works as follows:

Position yourself comfortably and turn your attention "inwards". Breathe in and out calmly. Then count to five as you inhale and mentally follow the first side of an imaginary square. Hold your breath for the same length of time without tensing (the second side), then exhale and follow the third side of the square. Hold the breath again to complete the fourth side. Repeat this cycle. Adjust the duration of the side lengths to suit your needs.

There are many different breathing techniques and each person reacts differently. It is important to find out which technique best calms or activates you so that you can regain control over your nervousness.

In addition to breathing technique, dealing with distracting thoughts also plays an important role. "Distracting thoughts" are thoughts that distract us from the task at hand in stressful situations or have a negative impact on us - during a concert or audition, for example. An effective approach to dealing with such thoughts is the WAVE principle developed by sports psychologist Jörg Wetzel (from "GOLD - Mental stark zur Bestleistung", Jörg Wetzel, 6th edition, 2019). "WAVE" stands for:

1. perceive: Consciously recognize your thoughts, feelings and physical reactions.

2. stop: Actively stop the flow of thoughts by saying "stop" or "halt".

3. change: Replace negative thoughts with positive, constructive thought patterns.

4. practise: Repeat the new thought and check its effect.

Examples: Instead of "I didn't hit a note cleanly again, how embarrassing!" you could say, "I can do better than that. Check it off and move on!" Or instead of thinking, "If I get nervous now, I'm sure it won't work", the thought could be, "I'll stay calm and make music like I do at home." By learning to actively direct your thoughts, you can get a grip on your nervousness and focus better.

Mental training also offers the opportunity to practise concert situations. Visualization techniques help you to relive a positive concert experience with all your senses or to mentally rehearse a future performance in front of an imaginary audience. This method prepares you mentally for the "special moment" so that you can better anticipate the nervousness and face it calmly. In many cases, the third or fourth performance is much easier than the premiere.

The moments just before the performance are crucial for success. Careful planning and training of this process, supported by mental techniques, are just as important as the technical and musical preparation.

Nervousness cannot be completely eliminated, but with mental techniques you can learn to control it and develop a positive approach to dealing with it. This will enable you to perform reliably even in stressful moments and appear calm.

Sebastian Rosenberg
... advises musicians and gives courses and workshops in the field of mental training, teaches trumpet and leads ensembles at the Rontal LU music school.

Arosa Sounds promises an energetic program from the end of January to the beginning of February. The festival kicks off on Wednesday evening with the Afro Jazz Sextet of the young Bernese singer Malika Kaita. Afrobeat meets bouncy jazz, performed by young and highly motivated musicians. To set the mood, a talk with Malika Kaita on the subject of intercultural musical collaborations will take place before the concert. Singer Andreas Lareida, who grew up in Chur, has woken his old band project "Andreas Lareida Agorà" from its 10-year slumber and will take to the stage as a septet with a new freshness. Ladunna can be described as the Grisons discovery of 2024. Two young women from Romansh combine pulsating rhythms with jazz vocals. The double bassist Marc Jenny plays somewhat quieter music in the Bergkirchli. The festival will conclude with two concerts in the "Bündner Sounds" format: singers Andreas Lareida, Malenco, Anna Bläsi and saxophonist Gianna Lavarini will arrange and rehearse their own compositions with an accompanying band, the result of this collaboration will be presented exclusively at Arosa Sounds.

The motto of this year's Arosa Classical Music Festival is "Voices as guests in Arosa". At the opening, former director of Swiss television Ueli Haldimann and actor Christian Sprecher will give Hermann Hesse a voice. Haldimann has researched Hesse's stays in Arosa in 1928/29 and Sprecher reads from the wonderful texts about skiing and the Arosa sun that Hermann Hesse wrote. The baritone Samuel Zünd is a guest in Arosa with the "Galgenlieder" by Christian Morgenstern. The Swiss conductor and composer Enrico Lavarini has taken on the cheerful, morbid texts. Zünd will be joined on stage by clarinettist Emil Scheibenreif and pianist Nilgün Keles.

"The most important thing is the music you have in your head," said Madame Flo, the imperturbable, self-confident and fabulously talentless soprano. But unfortunately, she sang wrong for pity's sake, the audience loved her anyway and came in droves to be amused by her. The play "SOUVENIR" by Stephen Temperley about Jenkins' career is a wonderfully heart-warming tribute to this legend of American show business. The actress Ute Hoffmann plays Jenkins. Nikolaus Schmid and Marco Schädler are also part of the cast.

While zoologist and museum educator Flurin Camenisch from Chur talks about how animals communicate with each other, the film "Sibel" shows a young woman whose voice has gone silent. She can only communicate to a certain extent by whistling. The film is set in the rugged mountainous region on the Turkish Black Sea coast, where people still speak and cultivate the traditional whistling language.

As in previous years, the winners of the Hans Schaeuble Award will give concerts as part of the Arosa Classical Music Festival. In two groups, they will each prepare a concert program in Arosa, which will be performed not only in Arosa but also in Chur, Boswil and Zurich.

The Arosa Mixed Choir, under the direction of Ursula Müller-Weigl, sings choral passages from well-known operettas at the end of the Arosa Classic Festival. The soloists are mezzo-soprano Stefanie Schaefer and pianist Kristina Ruge.

In the heart of Switzerland in 1975, where musical traditions met a lively quest for innovation, a dream was born that would last half a century: the Swiss Youth Music Competition (SJMW). With an ambitious goal, the then director of the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, Gerd Albrecht, wanted to create a national platform for young musical talents to express themselves, receive valuable feedback from a top-class jury and - above all - "to recognize their place in the national comparison". This environment for promoting talent has always captivated generations of musicians.

An ally for life

From the very beginning, the SJMW was aimed at children and young people in the field of classical music - a revolutionary idea at a time when music competitions were mainly reserved for adults. Since the first edition, the competition has attracted young musical talent from all over Switzerland and provided an inspiring environment for artistic growth.

Over time, the SJMW has expanded its disciplines to include new forms of musical expression - from composition to jazz and music technology. Its goal remains to enable young talents to live their passion to the full in order to let their artistic fire shine.

One particularly valuable aspect of the SJMW is the strong sense of community it creates. Participants from different backgrounds come together to compete with each other, but also to learn from and inspire each other. Music becomes a common language, as Nadia Boulanger put it: "Music knows no boundaries, only encounters" - and these encounters form the basis for the success of the SJMW, which has created lifelong artistic partnerships.

In 50 years, the SJMW has been the springboard for many of today's world-famous musicians. But even those who have not stayed in music carry on the values of the competition - discipline, dedication and creativity. Zoltán Kodály said: "Music not only forms the heart, but also the character" - a legacy embodied by the SJMW.

"Impulses for a whole life"

This is the motto of the 50th anniversary, which underlines the lasting impact of the SJMW on thousands of children and young people: an impulse that is anchored in the life choices, character and values of the participants.

The anniversary will be celebrated on September 13, 2025 at the Tonhalle Zurich. The event will kick off with a children's concert by young prizewinners, followed by a jazz concert by former winners. An interactive exhibition will bring the history of the competition to life. An anniversary publication will also present portraits of former prizewinners.

The highlight is a gala concert in the Great Hall of the Tonhalle. The Tonhalle Orchestra, conducted by David Bruchez, will accompany former winners as soloists. Two world premieres composed especially for the event by Daniel Schnyder and Richard Dubugnon round off the program.

50 years is a milestone, but also a promise for the future. The SJMW is committed to looking to the future, in the spirit of the words of our compatriot Yehudi Menuhin: "If the future teaches us anything, it is that music will never cease to unite." The competition will continue to be an important focal point for young musical talents from all over Switzerland in order to promote their talent and enrich our musical culture.

The publisher can look for labels to produce a recording. The publisher can ensure that music is used in a new recording for advertising, film or computer games or arrange composition commissions. The publisher can also allow or encourage adaptations such as translations or changes of style for a fee. Traditionally, a publisher also prints sheet music, publishes songbooks or gives a streaming service a license to display the lyrics during streaming. However, it is not part of the publisher's remit to take care of the exploitation of recordings. This is typically one of the core tasks of a label or distributor.

Good music publishers usually have a large network, ideally also abroad, which makes these tasks possible or easier for them. When deciding whether or not to work with a publisher, an artist should also consider whether the network suits their own needs and musical style.

In order for the music publisher to be able to perform its tasks, the author (composer, lyricist or arranger) transfers the copyrights to it for a defined period of time in a defined territory.

For its work, the publisher receives a percentage of the author's income from the use of the compositions. The amount of the percentage depends on the type of use. The publisher and composer are both members of a collecting society such as SUISA. The publisher is registered there for the individual works and in the publishing agreement the income is divided in the same way as in SUISA's distribution regulations. This applies to all rights except synchronization (e.g. use of the music in films, games etc. but also combining the music with choreography, embedding it in a play etc.), editing (e.g. translating texts, changing styles etc.), "graphic" rights (e.g. printing sheet music or the texts shown on the Internet). For the rights managed directly by the publisher, the publisher and the author freely agree on a revenue share.

Because the publisher receives a revenue share instead of a fixed fee, it bears the risk of working a lot but achieving little and therefore earning little. However, it is also possible that the publisher does little for the exploitation of certain music and still earns well because the artists, for example, play major tours on which their songs are performed. In this case, the publisher always receives a share of the SUISA income.

Publishing contracts have a minimum term of three years, but are also regularly concluded for the "term of protection", i.e. up to 70 years after the death of the author. Publishing agreements are also usually concluded for the entire world.

The law does regulate the most important basic features of a publishing agreement. However, the rules are designed for typical book publishers and are hardly suitable for music publishers. Due to the long commitment and the lack of legal requirements, it is advisable to clarify all essential topics in the contract. In addition to duration and territory, this also includes clear obligations of the publisher, royalties and possible grounds for termination. It is also recommended that an author has a say in deciding for which types of films, advertising, games, etc. the music may be used. The association of music with other productions inevitably has an impact on artists and their reputation.

Since publishing contracts have very long terms and there are hardly any opportunities for artists to terminate a publishing contract, the respective person must carefully examine in each individual case whether the collaboration is worthwhile for them. The biggest challenge are the constructs in which organizations such as labels, music commissioners, etc. want to take over the publishing rights in order to refinance their own investments such as the commission fee. Sometimes the assignment of the publishing rights is a condition for obtaining the commission or marketing the recording in the first place. Although this is usually legally permissible, artists should check particularly carefully whether the overall package makes sense from their point of view.

As always, ask a specialist about the risks and side effects of the contract before signing it.

Chantal Bolzern ... is a lawyer, mediator and co-president of Helvetiarockt.

The craft of a musician is and has been (almost) the same for decades. The situation is different when it comes to their role in society: everything here is in a state of permanent change. And with these changes, the terms used by universities to respond to the social challenges facing the arts are also changing. No sooner had we realized that "music education" had become a relevant discipline for which specialists urgently needed to be trained than we had to get used to the term "cultural participation". At the same time, there was also talk of "audience development", "community music", "co-creation" or "musicking". What all these terms have in common is that musicians contribute to society as artists in addition to their craft. Or as Augusto Boal, the Brazilian director and theorist, puts it: "Being a citizen is not living in society, it is changing it." These trends are being discussed intensively not only at universities, but also in international associations such as the AEC (music academies) or ELIA (art academies).

The Bern University of the Arts recently held an interdisciplinary course on "Artistic Citizenship" to address students' interest in social engagement that goes far beyond music education. During a week of research, we investigated theoretically and empirically whether and how the model of "artistic citizenship" is suitable for this: can concepts such as artistic citizenship, social responsibility and civic mission enter into a fruitful connection with artistic excellence, imagination and creativity? What happens to our art when we understand its practice as a social process or as a "tool in society"? We also looked at global megatrends that are identified under keywords such as "global migration" or "down-aging" (older people feeling increasingly younger). Students from all disciplines conducted their own qualitative experiment, which they linked to one of the megatrends discussed. They were able to present the results, including performances, project and workshop concepts, to concert organizers at a public event.

In this context, one student has specifically dedicated herself to the dialog group of the very elderly and has placed her experiment in the "Silver Society" trend. The ageing of society today is both a challenge and an opportunity for a new socio-cultural vitality. The student - a flautist - regularly visited a 90-year-old lady suffering from dementia, who used to play the flute, at the retirement home. She was deeply impressed by the great and gratifying response of the lady to her flute playing, especially to her freely arranged folk songs.

In order to develop new methods and innovative strategies as a university, Bern University of Applied Sciences has been focusing on three strategic fields for some time: digital transformation, sustainability and caring society. The aim is to respond to challenges and enable students to share classical music with the elderly, for example. A team from the Departments of Music and Social Work is currently working on how to respond to the need of elderly people for musical expression and creative, process-based exchange with young people. In the longer term, this should be taught and learned in a university context.

For some time now, the Department of Music at the University of the Arts has offered students the opportunity to study topics relating to mediation and participation as part of the MA in Specialized Music Performance. Part of the final thesis is a tailor-made project, which can include new concert formats or the inclusion of non-classical groups.

So if we understand music not just as a performative act by performers for a passive audience, but think, research and expand its practice in a socially comprehensive way, then this strengthens the importance of this music as a whole, it brings previously rather separate social groups into active exchange and it increases the legitimacy of our universities as educational, communication and cultural institutions.

Barbara Balba Weber is Head of "Music in Context", Bern University of the Arts

"We have options, maybe you don't have to pay for everything out of your own pocket!" we reply.

In fact, you have to take care of financing your tuition fees, which can be divided into fixed and variable costs. Admittedly, you cannot necessarily expect to be fully financed. But following the principle of subsidiarity, tapping into various sources in addition to state support and making your own contributions opens up a different perspective on your own situation.

Acquiring different sources of finance

Looking for ways to finance your own further education is part and parcel of finding out about the study programs available to you. However, this is not necessarily the case when it comes to further education or undergraduate studies, as the corresponding courses in music are primarily offered by state-subsidized universities. As a rule, there is little to almost no personal contribution to costs - measured against the actual costs of a place on a course.

Internal university scholarship competition

Checking the options available at the respective university for acquiring funding can also influence the decision for or against applying to study.

At the Kalaidos University of Music, we are offering students enrolled in the future the prospect of attractive financial support. These are merit-based and are awarded annually in an open competition, which also applies to students who are already enrolled. In addition to scholarships to cover certain parts of the cost of studies, prizes are also awarded.

New category: Music education/didactics

As announced in the last issue of SMZ, this year we are not only awarding prizes in Music Performance, but also explicitly and independently taking music education into account. This means that in addition to a purely artistic evaluation of the musical performance, a separate category for outstanding didactic achievements will also be introduced. In both Performance and Pedagogy, participation is possible in the styles "Classical" and "Jazz/Pop" - corresponding to our two main areas of study. You can also compete in several categories.

Admission test afterwards

Successful participation in the competition is a guarantee of a scholarship or prize at the start of your studies. However, this does not guarantee formal admission to the course. For this, a separate entrance examination must be taken at the end of November.

The Kalaidos University of Music is particularly interesting for late entrants and/or those who wish to study music part-time or continue their education - possibly, if not the only possibility...

Few Swiss composers of the 20th century have left behind an oeuvre with such a broad stylistic spectrum as Benno Ammann. Born in Gersau, he created over 500 works, initially tonal in the style of the Groupe des Six and less progressive in the classical-romantic tradition for amateur music, later turning more and more to the avant-garde cultivated in Darmstadt, and finally working almost exclusively with experimental and electronic music. The latter creative period has been the subject of lively discussion in New Music circles for some time and the Basel Madrigalists brought Benno Ammann's name back into the limelight in 2021 - thanks to their first recording of his most important vocal composition, the Missa Defensor Pacis, which was premiered in St. Peter's Basilica in 1947 on the occasion of the canonization of Brother Klaus.

As the saying goes, where there's light, there's shadow - in a traditionally highlight-heavy musician's biography, it's easy to forget that in contrast to the significant moments in the limelight, there is an everyday existence in the shadows - which is not meant to be as negative as it may sound, because in the shadowy freshness, one works soberly for a living. Benno Ammann not only worked as a celebrated composer and orchestral conductor between Darmstadt and Rome, but also as the director of several amateur choirs in the Basel region. His work in the Roman Catholic parish of St. Josef in Aesch (BL) from 1951 to 1959 is exemplary of this - particularly because during this time Ammann experienced not only compositional highlights but also interpersonal conflicts of the kind that occur wherever people work together and sometimes, unfortunately, against each other.

The circumstances in Aesch that led to Ammann's appointment there in 1951 were already of an all-too-human nature: on White Sunday, an assistant organist missed the start of a hymn during the service, which sparked a dispute between the main organist Hans Kirschner and Pastor Isidor Ottiger that continued to plague parish life until the autumn. In solidarity with the organist, village teacher Fritz Renz also resigned as choirmaster, so that Father Ottiger was able to persuade his school friend Benno from Einsiedeln to succeed him. On October 19, 1951, Ammann conducted the first rehearsal of the Cäcilienchor in the church in Aesch and enjoyed remarkable freedom right from the start despite the six-month rehearsal period. In January 1952, for example, he was granted a longer deputation from May to September to work on compositions. This included attending the Darmstadt summer courses, where he met Olivier Messiaen, among others, but presumably also composing a new festive mass Missa Christus Dominus for the Aesch parish, which was premiered at Easter 1953. This makes us sit up and take notice, especially as there is no evidence that the parish paid the fee for a composition commission. Rather, it seems plausible that Father Ottiger, as President of the Swiss St. Luke's Society for Art and Church, was behind it: at the same time, Ammann was working on the setting of three poems by the Central Swiss poet Walter Hauser (1902-1963) for baritone solo and organ, which were first heard in the orchestral version at the St. Luke's Conference in Zurich in 1954. It is therefore conceivable that Ottiger and Ammann put together a package, as excerpts from the Missa Christus Dominus were presented again in a church music evening celebration in March 1954 together with the premiere of the organ version of the aforementioned Three Spiritual Songs.

Pastor Ottiger never tired of praising the new creations of his intimate. He wrote in the Basler Volksblatt that it was "probably the first time that twelve-tone music was heard in a church concert in our country". As president of the St. Luke's Society, he must have had a good overview of contemporary sacred music; whether it was actually the first performance of sacred twelve-tone music in Switzerland requires further research. Formally, the three pieces with a separate instrumental prelude are conservative and loosely reminiscent of a suite. The harmony is anchored more in the free tonality of the early 20th century than in a dodecaphonic lack of rules. Ammann orchestrated each of the original organ versions differently. No. 1 (Der Weihrauch), with its constantly fanning out recitative tones, is set for string orchestra, the recitative-like No. 2 (Der Kelch) requires additional woodwinds and two horns, and No. 3 (Aufstieg) again requires additional timpani and two trumpets. The baritone, as the melodically concise protagonist, is almost continuously in responsorial dialogue with the harmonically gentle instrumental accompaniment, which seemed to meet the demands of church music and aesthetics at the time and did not overtax the audience in Aesch, who were used to pleasing music. There is a version of No. 1 with a soprano solo, which Ammann created specifically for the premiere in Aesch and which was not included in the final complete version with a baritone solo.

Ammann also premiered two shorter works for choir a cappella at this evening celebration. The first was a simple Ave Maria, composed in 1949 and published two years later by Éditions Schola Cantorum in Paris, and the second was the Litany Anima Christi for choir and baritone solo. Ammann wrote this in 1952 in an early German version and it was praised by Messiaen in Darmstadt as an "œuvre sincère et émouvante": "J'en ai hautement apprécié l'esprit modal, la variété rythmique et le caractère profondément réligieux." The fact that Ammann chose the peripheral town of Aesch, far away from the major church music centers, for the premiere of these highly acclaimed choral works can certainly be seen as a sign of recognition for the Cäcilienchor and as an expression of solidarity with Pastor Ottiger, as the later published version in Latin was premiered under diametrically opposed circumstances: in 1957 as part of the world-renowned Congrès international de musique sacrée III in Paris.

Ammann's main work in Aesch is undoubtedly the Missa Christus Dominus. It is dedicated to Pastor Ottiger and the Cäcilienchor Aesch and sets the Ordinary of the Mass in the usual six movements Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Benedictus and Agnus Dei. Formally, the work is kept simple; Ammann chose a largely homophonic choral setting with occasional solos from the choral ranks without independent solo parts as well as a demanding, colorfully registered organ accompaniment, which has to play virtuoso passages, especially in the Gloria and Credo. Sanctus and Benedictus are characterized by monophonic melodies with a transparent accompaniment that is reduced to the bare essentials. The Kyrie and Agnus Dei form the framework with a striking third motif ostinato, which Ammann borrowed from the Proprium In festo S. Pauli a Cruce. In a review of the work (published in the Basler Volksblatt on April 20, 1953), music critic Joachim Keller described the harmonies as "free-floating, largely polytonal and even atonal in places", whereby "these different modes of expression blend and dissolve in almost imperceptible transitions, never offending the ear". Like so many new creations, the Missa Christus Dominus was no exception. The quiet movements Sanctus and Benedictus were once again part of the aforementioned evening celebration in March 1954, after which the work disappeared unpublished into the archives. The author of this text, the current director of the Cäcilienchor Aesch, has undertaken a revival of the work, which was given an extremely prominent setting in May 2024 when the choir was invited to the annual swearing-in ceremony of the Swiss Guard in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome - the so-called Sacco di Roma. The mass is aimed at good amateur choirs and professional vocal ensembles. Based on the organ setting, an optional additional accompaniment for string quintet has been added and several choral sections have been marked for optional solo performance. This gives interested choirs the opportunity to perform the Missa Christus Dominus both in its original form and with additional timbres that support the choir with additional string quintet and at the same time relieve the strain thanks to the solo parts.

As much as the first years were characterized by creativity and success, Ammann's reputation in Aesch began to crack. In the spring of 1954, the preparations for the aforementioned evening celebration suffered from many absences by choir members and there were tensions with the young organist Othmar Lenherr, who was still in training, which were resolved thanks to the mediation of Father Ottiger. In collaboration with Father Bertwin Frey (1916-1999) from Central Switzerland, the Prayer Singing Mass in honor of Pius X, also known simply as the German Singing Mass, was composed. The form and content of the seven-movement work for monophonic choir and organ accompaniment are strongly reminiscent of the German High Mass by Michael Haydn or the German Mass by Franz Schubert. The melody is entirely geared towards congregational singing, as is the discreet organ accompaniment, which remains harmonically simple and yet reflects Ammann's style. It was premiered by the Cäcilienchor in Aesch on March 6, 1955. The work will soon be published in a polyphonic arrangement, so that a version for smaller amateur choirs will be available in addition to the original monophonic version.

Conciliatory tones after a long dispute

From November 1956 to June 1958, Ammann also took over as interim director of the church choir in Muttenz. In Aesch, resentment spread due to Ammann's often too short-term program planning. In the summer of 1957, a vice conductor was requested as a regular deputy and in January 1958, the demand for a music commission followed. Once again, there were months of disputes, which were fueled by the dismissal of organist Othmar Lenherr and culminated in an extraordinary general meeting of the Cäcilienchor, which was deliberately not recorded in the minutes. In a three-hour discussion between the church council and the choir board, the reasons for the strong opposition were given: "The choir [was] insufficiently prepared, [...] it was impossible to negotiate with the conductor, he always acted on his own authority. During the singing lessons, he always tried to stop the rehearsals early in order to get home on time." Ammann responded with a request for a dispensation "due to severe professional overload" in order to "devote more time to his own work and the problems of new music". In the fall of 1958, Pastor Ottiger arranged for Josef Hunkeler, a teacher working in Aesch, to become the new organist. Ammann handed in his resignation in June 1959 and recommended Hunkeler as his successor, who subsequently remained director of the Cäcilienchor Aesch for 30 years. In the annual report for 1959, Kuno Stöckli, newly elected choir president and most recently Ammann's deputy conductor, struck a conciliatory note: "His artistic nature made it difficult for him to work successfully with us. We are therefore all the more pleased that his artistic nature has recently led him to various international successes in the field of composition. We would like to thank him for his work with us and wish him many more great successes as a composer."

Who knows how Benno Ammann would have continued to compose in Aesch if the collaboration had not been hampered by mutual inability. This is indicated by the sketch of a polyphonic movement on the Gregorian Tantum ergo, dated June 29, 1953, and another Ave Maria for mixed choir, which Ammann completed on Christmas Day 1953 and presumably had in mind for Aesch, but only added a subsequent dedication for Abbot Benno Gut of Einsiedeln Abbey in 1957. In addition, fragments for another mass setting have been preserved, the Missa sopra AESCH, which Ammann also sketched in 1953 with motifs on the tone sequence A-E-Es-C-H. He does not appear to have pursued any of these works and sketches any further when the first problems arose in spring 1954. Nevertheless, they also document the lively compositional activity that Ammann pursued for church music in Aesch and which - apart from simple arrangements of folk songs - he did not carry out with any of the other choirs that he had directed. It was certainly his long-standing friendship with Pastor Ottiger, which had probably kept him in Aesch longer than was expedient, but was lost after his departure: Ammann left dinner invitations from Ottiger to his home in Aesch, always introduced with "My dear", unanswered.

New edition by Pizzicato Verlag Helvetia

It is thanks to the interest of Pizzicato Verlag Helvetia that, in addition to the electronic works by Benno Ammann, all the works from his Aesch period discussed here are also being published in a new edition: The Missa Christus Dominus with optional string accompaniment; the Deutsche Singmesse with optional polyphonic choral setting; the Drei geistliche Gesänge in all surviving versions for soprano, baritone, organ and orchestra; the Litany Anima Christi in all surviving versions for female or mixed choir as well as in German and Latin; two settings of the Ave Maria and a polyphonic setting of the Gregorian Tantum ergo; and the fragments of the Missa sopra AESCH with optional completion into a performable version. In this way, a representative, stylistically broad selection of Benno Ammann's artistically significant and practice-oriented oeuvre for various formations at home and abroad can be made accessible on the basis of a self-contained creative period: Amateur, church and professional choirs, soloists as well as instrumental ensembles from organ to string quintet to orchestra. The works will be available from the publisher from fall 2024.

In 2022, a new concept for a master class was developed in collaboration with the OSI (Orchestra della svizzera italiana) and the CSI (Conservatorio della svizzera italiana).

This year, Robert Kowalski, the 1st concertmaster of the OSI, supervised and taught four students from the CSI Pre-College for a week in Arosa. This year's master class took place from June 24 to 29. This was followed by three concerts in Arosa, Cham and Lugano. The four young musicians - Adeleide Chiaradonna, Gianluigi Sartori, Tommaso Braido and Milo Antognini - had an instructive time in Arosa. The rehearsal days were intensive. They were able to gain valuable experience thanks to Robert Kowalski's experienced, professionally and personally proven direction and Redjan Teqia's accompaniment.

The next masterclass will take place in June 2025, and the short concert tour will take the young musicians to Cham and Lugano in addition to Arosa. Additional concert venues are currently being clarified.

"Hans Schaeuble Award"

Since 2015, the "Hans Schaeuble Recognition Prize" has been awarded each year to several participants of the two Arosa Music Academy weeks. Thanks to the generous increase in the Hans Schaeuble Foundation's contribution from 2023, this prize can now be greatly enhanced. In addition to the recognition prizes, a Hans Schaeuble Award worth CHF 2,000 will be presented for each Academy week. The Arosa Music Academy are two international master classes of the Arosa Music Course Weeks for the instruments violin/viola/violoncello and saxophone/accordion. The awards include an invitation to actively participate in the Arosa Classical Music Festival the following spring. Under the direction of Markus Fleck (violin) and Lars Mlekusch (saxophone), a chamber music program will be developed and subsequently performed in Arosa, Chur, Zurich and Boswil.

In Chur, the concerts are organized in collaboration with the Konzertstudio and "klibühni, Das Theater". In Zurich, the concert will take place as part of the "Mittagsmusik im Predigerchor" concert series at Zurich Central Library. The last concert will then take place at the Haus der Musik in Boswil.

Arosa Classical Music Festival

The Arosa Classical Music Festival 2025 will take place from March 7 - 29 in various concert venues in Arosa.

In addition to concerts by the prizewinners of the Arosa Music Academy, the focus will be on the voice in all its facets. The opening event will focus on the literary voice. This includes a lecture on "Hermann Hesse in Arosa" with the journalist Ueli Haldimann and the actor Christian Sprecher. Song recitals, a lecture on animal voices, a music theater about the "Queen of Dissonance" Florence Foster Jenkins, a film about a Turkish mountain people who communicate over great distances using whistling sounds instead of their voices will be shown and heard.

At the end of the classical music festival, the Arosa mixed choir will perform a program of "light" classical music.

Information about the festival will be published at the end of November on www.arosaklassik.ch is now available.