After several years dedicated to the direction of the SSM, Helen Geb-hart resigned from her position in order to engage in a doctoral project at the University of Bâle, under the supervision of Hanna Walsdorf. Before taking on the role of Head of SSM, Helen studied musicology at the University of Basel. En 2021, elle avait repris le poste de responsable de la SSM à la suite de Benedict Zemp.

Helen Gebhart is replaced by Luc Vallat. After studying musicology at the University of Fribourg, Luc completed a doctorate at the University of Berne, under the direction of Cristina Urchueguía. Currently a teaching assistant at the University of Geneva and a scientific collaborator on various projects, he has held the position of Head of SSM since May 1, 2024.

At the time of the relay, Helen and Luc are interviewed together. Between souvenirs and projections, the two musicologists talk about their relationship with the SSM.

Helen Gebhart, you have been Managing Director of SMG for the last three years. What was your role within this association?
My work was very varied: I organized the business of the Central Society, such as the Annual General Meeting and meetings of the Central Board, edited the Swiss Yearbook of Musicology, was responsible for RILM Switzerland and wrote articles for the SMZ.

As Managing Director, you led various activities. Which of these has shaped you the most?
I found the publication of the SJM a great job, albeit a challenge. I particularly enjoyed the fact that I was always meeting new people from a wide variety of musical backgrounds.

What have your three years at SMG brought you as a musicologist?
I got to know different research areas and approaches and was able to significantly expand my research and editorial skills. My horizons in music research and working life have broadened considerably as a result. 

Now you are starting a new chapter in your career by joining the SNSF research project "The Night Side of Music" as a doctoral student. What is the overarching theme of this project? What will your doctoral thesis focus on in particular?
As the title of the project suggests, we will be looking at music and night in earlier centuries and exploring what "night music" is, such as whether there is a difference to "day music". In my part of the project, I will focus on the city of Basel. You can be curious! 

Dear Luc, what has been your relationship with the SSM up to now?
During the realization of my doctorate, I rejoined the Bernese section of the SSM, before becoming vice-president in 2020. In particular, I have an excellent memory of a dance workshop of the Renaissance that we organized in 2021. As editor for the Dictionnaire du Jura, I am also very interested in the Dictionnaire de la musique en Suisse. I am therefore very happy to join the SSM management to invest myself in the multiple facets of this academic society!

SSM is a company more than a centenary. What are the challenges it will have to face in the coming years?
Every association is constantly confronted with the question of maintaining and renewing its members. It therefore seems important to me to take into account the interests of each and every one of them in the activities of the SSM. I am thinking in particular of the new generations of musicologists, the different linguistic regions and even the various study programs and projects in our discipline.

The motto of the Health Day is "Prevention and Musical Excellence" and will provide the most comprehensive information possible on prevention and therapy services in Switzerland. High-caliber speakers will provide information on the latest developments in musician-medical research, while workshops will offer the opportunity to experience healthy music-making techniques.  A table-top exhibition with information materials provides an overview of therapy and prevention services throughout Switzerland. Experts will also be happy to answer questions about individual strategies for healthy music-making and how to increase well-being in everyday musical life. The presentations will be simultaneously translated. The members of the nationwide Swissmedmusica network will be presenting themselves at the table fair. This ensures the high quality and seriousness of the offers. 

Become a member

Interested parties who would like to present their own musician-medical offers at the Health Day table fair can apply for membership with Swissmedmusica. Interested musicians can also become members. Swissmedmusica supports everyone on the path to healthy and emotionally fulfilling music-making. Members also benefit from networking platforms for all those active in music medicine in Switzerland and internationally, an exclusive, content-rich newsletter with information on media, events and current research in music medicine, as well as discounts on specialist journals and admission to the Music Health Day.

More info: swissmedmusica.ch/membership

Practical training, especially for people who are already in professional life, is central to the KMH. It is a traditional notion that talented concert soloists are just waiting to be hired. The "Specialized Performance" Master's degree course addresses precisely this issue in order to show graduates how they can independently tap into the music market and/or design and implement their own projects:

Part of the final examination, which leads to the soloist diploma, includes the task of putting together an orchestra or getting in touch with one in order to realize a solo concert. The course director provides support in the background with know-how and a network.

Successful cooperation

A prime example of this model is now on the home straight: KMH student Aristotelis Papadimitriou and conductor Martin Studer will perform Sergei Rachmaninov's Second Piano Concerto in Zurich on May 16. For the upcoming project, in which Bruckner's Fourth Symphony is also on the program, Studer is now bringing together "his" various orchestras, which consist of a rich, well-cultivated pool of musicians. Here, seasoned professionals harmonize with young students and amateur musicians. 

Intergenerational promotion and motivation

Martin Studer has always focused on supporting young musicians in his many and varied activities. The fruits of his energy can be seen in the Phil-A, the NZO and ALSO: all orchestras that he has built up alongside other institutions and for which he is virtually solely responsible. The classic, motivating image of a "self-made man" who can look back with satisfaction on what he has achieved and is happy to pass on this experience and the associated knowledge. It is only right that the Canton of Zurich's Department of Culture has recognized his commitment with an award.

Stagnation is a step backwards 

Ideal conditions for Aristotelis Papadimitriou. Born in Greece, the multiple competition winner has already attended various music academies, completed artistic and music education studies and studied with various professors. In addition to his active solo career, he teaches at music schools in Zurich and the surrounding area. Even though he appreciates the stability, it is still not enough for Papadimitriou. In order to move forward and not stagnate, he wanted to fine-tune his skills with Barbara Szczepanska, who is also an accredited piano teacher at the KMH in addition to her professorship in Düsseldorf. The flexible, modular and highly independent study model is the only way he can combine the curriculum with his preferred lecturer and complete it while working.

The number one hit of classical-romantic literature is in C minor

Before Papadimitriou concludes his studies with a recital at the end of June, the penultimate exam is still to come. He and Studer have not chosen the work on the agenda at random; they want to offer the audience a favorite: Rachmaninov's Opus 18 leads the Classic FM Hall of Fame - so were voted on by the listeners of the British radio station.

It was already a hit when it was created: his concerto helped the Russian composer and pianist to make a comeback after a deep depression and creative crisis and manifested his fame.

Concert tip
"Romantic longing 3.0"
Thursday, 16.05.24, 19.30h Zurich, Church of St. Peter
Program:
S. Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, op. 18
A. Bruckner: Symphony No. 4 in E flat major "Romantic"
Tickets: www.nzo.ch

This marked the end of around a year of preparatory work: based on the 2016 version, the content of the Swiss Music Charter was critically reviewed and adapted to current circumstances in the run-up to the 20th anniversary: The term "Swiss music" is now defined as follows: "Swiss music - regardless of style and language - is defined as recordings by authors and/or performerswho and/or are Swiss, who and/or have a clear connection to Switzerland, who and/or are regarded as Swiss due to their previous career". A certain degree of modernization has also become necessary due to changes in society's media consumption: for some years now, the content produced by SRG has no longer only been available in linear form as radio and TV channels, but is also available around the clock in digital versions via numerous other channels such as social media, podcasts, streaming, etc.

The following two principles from the Charter are certainly particularly important for the associations that support music in Switzerland:

(1) "It is recognized that the diversity and novelties of the music scene throughout Switzerland - also beyond the language regions - should be brought to bear and the general public should be made aware of them."

(2) "SRG SSR makes an indispensable cultural contribution to the public by taking Swiss music into account."

The SRG's editorial contributions on the Swiss music scene are just as important: music criticism (or cultural criticism in general) is almost non-existent in private media.

The renewed charter also states that SRG is committed to broadcasting an appropriate proportion of Swiss music productions on its radio programs. To this end, benchmarks are set annually with the partners [see right] of the charter, which fortunately are usually exceeded.

At the signing ceremony for the charter in Zurich last March, SRG CEO Gilles Marchand highlighted SRG's successes in the music sector in his speech. He sees the company as being well positioned for the challenges of the future. Representing the associations, Sandra Tinner and Cécile Drexel, Managing Directors of the Swiss Music Council and SONART respectively, addressed the invited guests. Sandra Tinner briefly recounted the history of how the negotiations between the music industry associations and the SRG began at the end of the 1980s and ultimately led to success. Cécile Drexel also praised the charter, but did not fail to appeal to the SRG that there was still "room for improvement" in the benchmarks for Swiss music. It was agreed that the SRG makes an indispensable contribution to Swiss music and that the commitment against the halving initiative will be correspondingly strong.

Partners of the Swiss Music Charter

• IFPI Switzerland
• IG Folk Culture
• IndieSuisse
• orchester.ch - Association of Swiss Professional Orchestras
• Swiss Music Council (SMR)
• Swiss Performers' Cooperative (SIG)
• Swiss Musicians' Association (SMV)
• Swiss Association of Music Publishers (SVMV)
• SONART - Musicians Switzerland
• SUISA, Cooperative Society of Authors and Publishers of Music

In his Bachelor's project, Pavel Stöckmann tried to answer the question of "why people are needed in art and what makes them special and why they cannot be replaced by AI."

How to inspire new audiences for the existential dimension of classical music
Alla Belova asked herself in her master's recital. "Many people go to India for a retreat because they think it will help their mental health. But they simply don't know that they could go to the KKL on their doorstep to have a similar experience."

Both students of the Lucerne School of Music spared no effort to address their questions artistically: Pavel Stöckmann through extensive compositions of his own, the inclusion of various art and media
forms and the collaboration with several dozen musicians, Alla Belova through musical exploration of the perception of time in a wide variety of works for five different keyboard instruments from several centuries - and her recital was linked to a mediation project lasting several months with lectures, workshops, chat groups and short videos on social media, and audience discussions.
questionnaire. 

The pandemic as a factor?

There are occasional discussions about whether the pandemic and the associated restrictions on the music industry have also triggered artistic and creative developments. "Much faster than anyone could have imagined, the questions from that time are far gone," is the assessment of Institute Director Michael Arbenz. Other factors are far more significant for the developments, such as the now ubiquitous availability of tools that make it easier than ever before to work on and implement artistic concepts on the computer at a professional level.

In the long term - the curriculum factor

For four decades, Peter Baur was responsible for training young musicians in various roles. During this time, it is not only the professional field and the students that have changed. Baur points out that today's examination formats also allow and even encourage much more individualization: "These possibilities didn't even exist before the introduction of Bachelor's and Master's degrees. The main achievement in today's Bachelor's project is the independent idea, which is implemented artistically and organizationally and then reflected upon. Without content requirements." 

Study coordinator Erik Borgir sees great added value in experimental formats that are directly and continuously integrated into the course: "The focus of the degree courses is on performance experience. You can practise as much as you want, without a performance you don't know where you stand. Whether an idea works is only revealed in the interaction with the stage situation, with the audience - everything else is gray theory."

Infrastructure factor

In 2020, the Lucerne School of Music moved into a new building with many places to experiment and perform so that ideas don't remain gray theory. "When you have the possibilities and the space right in front of you, it's inspiring. Being able to try things out in a room is also central to the development process. That wasn't possible at the previous locations. The new environment has really encouraged the desire to create," says lecturer and study coordinator Sascha Armbruster. However, new projects also bring with them new requirements, as Cornelia Dillier, Head of Events/Technology, knows: "Today, you need a crew around you to guide and advise you... You need other forms of support."

The human factor and more

Of course, space, technology and support are not enough. Creative projects depend on individual people and their questions. But today's formats of creative projects often materialize in collaborative structures, as the great importance of interaction in Pavel Stöckmann and Alla Belova's final projects shows. "The more the students realize that these possibilities exist and the more they are in an environment of creativity and creation, the more interested they are in doing something like this," says Erik Borgir. And the students' environment extends beyond the universities: "Switzerland has a fantastic landscape for this kind of work. There are many small places where such performances are possible. There are good support structures. There are close-knit communities that are interested in it and get together. And everything is geographically close to each other, so you get to know each other quickly."

Compiled by:
Valentin Gloor, Director Lucerne School of Music

"Carpe Diem! - Seize the day!" During the sixth edition of the Boswil Orchestra Academy for Amateurs (BOA) from 29 September to 6 October 2024, the musical program will revolve around precisely this timeless motto: the atmospheric contrasts of a single crazy day. From the peaceful sounds of the morning in Fernand de la Tombelle's (1854-1928) Impressions matinales about Claude Debussy's (1862-1918) dreamy Claire de lune to the fiery conclusion with Modest Mussorgsky's (1839-1881) A night on the bare mountain in the orchestration by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.

For one week, the grounds around the old church in Boswil in the canton of Aargau are transformed into a colorful campus for all those who share a love of orchestral playing. The BOA participants spend a week rehearsing this challenging and varied program with conductor Anne-Cécile Gross and perform the three works at the final concert in the old church in Boswil. They will be supported by professional musicians in every register. Committed amateur musicians of all ages can make music at a high level, receive important impulses for their personal instrumental development and make connections with like-minded people in an idyllic setting.

Daily bodywork sessions and individual tips

A special feature of this EOV partner project is that the participants are actively supported by Angela Gebler, a trained physiotherapist and certified therapist for musicians with extensive experience, who teaches in daily sessions between the intensive rehearsals. Many instruments require asymmetrical postures, which often leads to neck tension, fingers falling asleep, tinnitus, back pain or other impairments. Musician-specific prevention in the form of balancing gymnastics, understanding one's own physiology and progressive muscle relaxation can prevent these overloads and is integrated into the daily routine right from the start.

Members of EOV orchestras receive an exclusive 10 percent discount on the BOA course fee of CHF 540 and pay only CHF 486. In addition, meals and overnight stays at the Künstlerhaus can be booked for the course week (recommended).

Exciting for young people: This year, the Swiss Federal Orchestra Association is once again offering scholarships for the amount of the actual course costs for first-time participants under the age of 26. The Künstlerhaus Boswil is also awarding three new scholarships for young people who would like to attend the Academy for a second time and are in need of financial assistance.

Further information and registration for the academy
(until July 1, 2024): www.orchesterakademie.ch

This year, we are once again able to offer musicians from our EOV member orchestras a range of attractive orchestral and chamber music courses from established and new EOV partners with an exclusive discount. The focused training courses are aimed at active amateur musicians, with something for every level. The courses are booked directly via the partner's website. When registering, simply state the EOV orchestra in which you play and you will benefit from a ten percent discount on the course costs.

In March, the EOV editorial team had the pleasure of attending the chamber music course run by Roswitha Killian, a long-standing EOV partner, on the picturesque music island of Rheinau in north-eastern Switzerland. We were allowed to join
The experienced music teacher teaches the amateur ensembles sensitively and with a great deal of specialist knowledge. Highlights of the course
were also the beautiful Rhine island and the carefully renovated rooms of the former monastery, which are ideally equipped for music rehearsals.

Chamber music courses with Roswitha Killian

The violinist and violist Killian organizes several chamber music courses in Switzerland, Germany and Italy every year. This year's main course will take place from July 27 to August 3 at the Hindemith Music Center in Blonay. Cellist Florian Arnicans and pianist Angela Killian will also be teaching. Killian's courses are primarily aimed at string players and pianists, but are also suitable for wind players. Registration is possible until June 1.

www.kammermusikkurse.com

Chamber music course with Anna Brunner

The new EOV partner is concert violinist and passionate chamber musician Anna Brunner. Her course from 7 to 12 July 2024 at the well-equipped La Fermata cultural center in Falera in Graubünden focuses on string players, but wind players are also welcome in mixed ensembles. The registration deadline is May 31.

www.annabrunner.ch/kammermusikkurs

Chamber music week as part of the Goms music vacation

Also during the summer week from July 7 to 13, the chamber music week will once again take place in Fiesch in the tranquil Goms (Valais) as part of the Goms Music Holidays. In addition to Paul Locher, Arlette Hock (both violin) and Matthias Walpen (violoncello), oboist Kurt Meier and flautist Eliane Locher-Walpen will also be teaching, so this course is also highly recommended for wind ensembles. Registration is possible by appointment.

www.gommer-musikferien.ch

It is possible to take part in all courses as an individual or as a fixed formation. It can be
own repertoire can be requested and brought along.

Boswil Orchestra Academy for amateur musicians

In autumn, from 29 September to 6 October, the Boswil Orchestra Academy for amateur musicians, under the direction of Anne-Cécile Gross, will once again be preparing an exciting concert program with works by Debussy, Mussorgsky and Fernand de la Tombelle. In addition to the tutti and register rehearsals, the experienced physiotherapist Angela Gebler teaches the amateur musicians daily in music physiology with many practical exercises to prevent pain and postural damage. The EOV offers scholarships to cover the course costs for young first-time participants under the age of 26.

www.orchesterakademie.ch

Gstaad Festival Amateur Orchestra

There are still a few places available for brass players and a harpist in the Gstaad Festival Amateur Orchestra, which has been part of the renowned Gstaad Festival for more than 15 years.
The Gstaad Menuhin Festival is always forming anew. Participants in the extremely popular symphony orchestra course can attend the festival concerts at a 50 percent discount during the course week from July 29 to August 3.

www.gstaadacademy.ch

Since 2009, the Helvetiarockt association, which is active throughout Switzerland, has been campaigning for more women, inter, non-binary, trans and agender people in the Swiss music business. Although it feels like there is now more diversity on local club and festival stages than back then, Helvetiarockt is still a long way from reaching its goal. While it is estimated that around 50 % girls are active in music schools, there is hardly any gender equality at all levels in the professional sector, as a preliminary study on gender relations in the Swiss cultural sector by Pro Helvetia and the Center for Gender Studies at the University of Basel revealed in 2019. Although the study is based on the read gender and a two-gender system, Helvetiarockt also explicitly supports inter, non-binary, trans and agender people. Nevertheless, there can be no question of a balanced proportion of women and men. In the rock, pop and jazz sector, women account for 11 % of stage presence, in music production the figure is just 2 % and at Swiss music academies only 12 % of teaching staff are women.

Looking back

Helvetiarockt has been counteracting these shortcomings for 15 years now. With 12 permanent employees in the areas of Helvetiarockt Music Lab, Helvetiarockt On Tour, fundraising, communication and administration, and with a total of around 800 full-time equivalents, over 40 coaches and events in 17 cantons, the association is turning the various screws of this obviously misogynistic system. 

Starting with workshops for up-and-coming musicians, such as the first band workshops in 2012, offers on recording techniques and songwriting were later added. At the same time, Helvetiarockt has made a strong commitment to the industry network in order to address the wishes and needs of professional musicians. 

In the here and now

"Although it's just a workshop, the few days during the songwriting camp have a huge impact on young people's lives," says Muriel Rhyner. The musician and regional manager of Helvetiarockt, who lives in Ticino, talks about empowerment and strengthening self-confidence. "You can feel that something is happening to people on different levels," says Rhyner. Anyone opening music software for the first time can quickly be overwhelmed by the technical possibilities, as musician and regional manager Jasmin Albash from Basel knows. "Taking the time to try it out without pressure in a safe space and getting tips from a professional producer is worth its weight in gold," says Albash: "No matter what age group the participants are in - there are no stupid questions. We want to make sure that everyone has the confidence to approach the coaches with their concerns." 

The "Recording Step By Step" studio workshops in particular, which are aimed at women, intersex, non-binary, trans and agender people interested in sound engineering and studio recording, have met with great interest. Over the course of six months, participants can learn the basics of sound and studio technology in a professional studio and finally record and mix a song. 

Looking ahead

"The fact that these offers are always booked up so quickly shows us that there is a lack of low-threshold offers," says Rhyner. The workshops for professionals, such as "Pay Your Way", which focuses on financing, or the "Cut Trough The Noise" workshop on communication, booking and promotion in the music world, are also usually booked out quickly. "Actually, all workshops aimed at all age groups are overbooked," says Albash. Promoting young people is therefore not enough: age-independent promotion of women, inter, non-binary, trans and agender people is needed. Helvetiarockt is unable to meet this need comprehensively and sufficiently, which is why the association will need to be able to use synergies for national, comprehensive coverage in the area of joint support in the future.

Helvetiarockt On Tour :

For over a year, Helvetiarockt On Tour has been addressing the issue of sexualized violence in clubs and at festivals. Workshops and exchange formats will be held in German- and French-speaking Switzerland until the end of 2025. All information at www.diversityroadmap.org

More information about Helvetiarockt: www.helvetiarockt.ch

As we write these lines, the stages may have fallen silent, but the echoes of the emotions and vibrant melodies of Entrada and the 2024 live auditions continue to reverberate in the hearts of those who were lucky enough to experience this extraordinary event; it was a magical journey through the various nuances of youth art. 

From the Classica Entrada to the live auditions 

From March 22 to 24, six Swiss cities - Arbon, Hünenberg, Burgdorf, Winterthur, Geneva and Lugano - hosted a musical kaleidoscope for the Classica competition, which put the spotlight on the talent and passion for music of a total of 934 young musicians from our country. This included 701 participants in the solo category and 233 who competed in the chamber music section. With 373 registrations, the string solos dominated the scene. The harp also recorded a large participation with a total of 56 players. Although the piano was not represented in the solo category, with 46 participants for piano duos, this instrument was undoubtedly the protagonist in the chamber music category. 

At the same time, the participants of the Jazz&Pop competition once again enlivened Basel, Bern, Lausanne, Lucerne and Zurich from March 2 to 24, creating a musical dialog and a unique opportunity for sharing and discovery between the Swiss cities. Despite the lower number of participants compared to the Classica competition, the 105 musicians impressed with their impressive talent and high-quality performances. A total of 38 performances were judged, including 12 in the jazz category and 23 in the pop category, which enchanted the jury. The 13 participating bands, including 8 in the pop category, 3 in the jazz category and finally 2 in the large ensemble category, also delivered majestic and captivating performances.

The anticipation of the final of all competitions, planned for May 9-12, 2024 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, is like an emotional crescendo, where all finalists will share the same stage and harmoniously unite the musical souls of Swiss youth. Afterwards, a world of opportunities will open up for the winners of each category through the funding program. From the opportunity to perform in public with renowned orchestras to experience in professional recording studios, this program, coveted by all participants, is an important first step towards the next level.  chapter in the musical career of these up-and-coming talents.

The stage for musical innovations

The expert jury is currently examining the videos and compositions in the FreeSpace (5 entries) and Composition (20) competitions.
It is a time when creativity comes to life and unique, sometimes provocative works are created. The culmination of this creative trajectory will be reached on May 11, 2024 in La Chaux-de-Fonds with the live performances. This moment will become an artistic community where the public will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the young artists' boldest creations.

The SJMW always strives to be a beacon for musical diversity, where notes can dance across traditions. The open discipline "FreeSpace" is an invitation to unleash one's imagination and explore the unlimited potential of musical inspiration. Each participant is encouraged to bring transdisciplinary productions to the stage that explore improvised music and include original contributions that challenge artistic conventions. This opens the door to the universe of musical experimentation. 

Next dates 

CLASSICA - the finale

May 09 - 12, 2024

Jazz&Pop - Come Together

May 11, 2024

Live performance

May 11, 2024

www.sjmw.ch

Location for all finals:

La Chaux-de-Fonds,

Conservatoire de musique neuchâtelois

cmne.ch

The Kalaidos University of Music was founded in 2011 and today is the only private university of applied sciences to play an important role in the Swiss educational landscape. Its international orientation includes a worldwide network of renowned cooperation partners. The wide range of courses on offer includes music studies in the fields of classical, jazz and popular music and offers students the greatest possible flexibility with close personal support.

Ms. Kulmer, why did you choose Kalaidos University?
The special thing about Kalaidos University is that you can complete your studies at an unbelievable level, regardless of location. Studying at the university gives me the privilege of not only receiving the best possible training in areas such as business, fundraising and self-marketing, which is essential for me as a future professional musician. I also have the opportunity to study with Prof. Alexander Gilman, who teaches at the Kalaidos University of Music and the Royal College of Music. With him I can develop both my technical skills on the instrument and my musicality at the highest level.

Prof. Gilman, your teacher, teaches in London. How does it work?
Since I have decided to move from London, where I lived at the beginning of my Master's in Performance, to Switzerland, I have adapted my lessons so that I have both online lessons and face-to-face lessons with Prof. Gilman in London. This has enabled us to establish a very good level of communication over a longer period of time. I have to say, it couldn't be going better!

Speaking of which, what do you think about online teaching, including the group modules at Kalaidos University?
I think the lecturers are doing a great job! I personally have only had positive experiences with online teaching. Of course, face-to-face teaching is also very important. But for the future, I think that a combination of online and face-to-face teaching is the perfect solution, as Kalaidos has already implemented.

What are your studies like on a day-to-day basis?
How do you integrate private lessons, didactics and modular lessons into your life as a musician? My everyday life consists of practicing on my own, studying music education, in which I am currently mastering the theoretical part, teaching my students and working at a private school in Basel. All of this requires well-planned time management, as I also have to prepare auditions for orchestral positions or competitions. Sport is also important as a balance; I go to the gym twice a week. I'm also interested in mental coaching and meditation.

You are currently in the middle of your second Master's degree, in classical music education. What is special and appealing about this dual education for you?
I worked with various professors in different countries from a young age and my aim as a violinist and musician is to pass on my knowledge and experience to children and young people. I am very interested in clear communication in lessons, which is why I find it exciting, for example, that one of the focal points of the pedagogy course is psychology. I hope that my studies will provide me with answers as to how I can structure and organize my lessons well and how I can respond to the needs of my pupils. I am very excited to see what else I will learn and how this Master's will have a positive impact on my future career in music.

Finally, a look into the future: what musical projects are you currently working on?
I am currently preparing intensively for a competition that could offer me both financial support and the opportunity to organize projects in Switzerland. I am also planning to apply for further auditions for an orchestral internship. I am also preparing for this summer with a new program for the Mozarteum Summer Academy in Salzburg. And of course I am actively looking for even more students to gain lots of practical teaching experience!

Dear Ms. Kulmer, thank you very much for the interview and all the best for your pedagogy studies and your musical future!

In the Inuit throat singing game - called katajjaq in the Nunavut region or katajjaniq in the Nunavik region - two people - traditionally women - stand very close to each other. Sometimes they also hold each other by the shoulders or arms. The "leader" begins to sing a rhythmic sound motif, which is either imitated by the second person (canon) or answered with a second motif (call-and-response). The first person to fall out of rhythm, the first to run out of breath or the first to start laughing loses the game. 

The throat singing technique used in katajjaq or katajjaniq results from a combination of voiced and unvoiced sounds on the inhalation and exhalation. The resulting body vibrations are also used to rock babies to sleep when they are carried on their backs. 

Christian missionary efforts and colonial assimilation strategies led to the almost complete disappearance of Inuit throat singing and Katajjaq or Katajjaniq through the suppression of cultural expressions. Efforts to revive the tradition led to the declaration of Katajjaniq as part of Quebec's Intangible Heritage in 2014. Nevertheless, there have been changes in the performance context, everyday function and repertoire in recent decades. 

Instead of being traditionally performed by two singers in the context of a game or as a shamanic ritual to positively influence the hunt, katajjaq or katajjaniq is currently practiced by one to four people as a leisure activity, to express their own Inuit identity or to spread activist causes such as the promotion of the Inuit sealing industry. In addition, Inuit throat singers are increasingly mixing traditional elements, techniques and songs of katajjaq and katajjaniq with other forms of music. 

However, a central aspect of Katajjaq or Katajjaniq is still the imitation of nature, animal and everyday sounds, as reflected in the names of traditional songs. For example, the song Qimmirulapik (Poor little puppy) describes the relationship between an Inuk hunter and one of her sled dogs. The influence of the personal relationship "to the land" and thus local places is also evident in the respective song repertoire. The song The Walrus to be sung in the Katajjaq in Nunavut, but not in the Katajjaniq in Nunavik. 

The dissertation, which is being written in the field of Cultural Anthropology of Music at the University of Bern, therefore examines the following question: What influence does the personal relationship "to the land" as well as Inuit ontologies and epistemologies - especially with regard to the relationship between humans, nature and more-than-human - have on the repertoire, the performance context and the everyday function of Katajjaq or Katajjaniq? In this context, the question also arises as to whether and to what extent these are changing due to the effects of climate change in the Arctic, due to relocation to the southern urban cities of Montréal and Ottawa or due to the increasing use of social media. 

The priority of Canadian Inuit organizations and Inuit throat singers is the preservation, transmission and awareness raising of Katajjaq or Katajjaniq as a traditional Inuit throat singing game. Since the research collaboration with Inuit throat singers is a central aspect of the work, one goal of the project is therefore the creation of a jointly operated website. Videos, sound recordings, interviews, information and research contributions can be collected there. 

The link refers to the publication "La Musique qui vient du froid. Arts, chants et danses des Inuit" on the website Les Presses de l'Université de Montréal, where you can find publicly accessible audio samples and videos of Katajjaq. 

pum.umontreal.ca/catalogue/la_musique_qui_vient_du_froid/contenusupplementaire

On March 2, 2024, around 50 interested children's and youth choir conductors from all over Switzerland met at the SKJF Forum, which took place at the Yehudi Menuhin Forum in Bern. SKJF Vice President Michael Schläpfer acted as moderator, providing information and ensuring that everything ran smoothly. The well-known Bernese choirmaster Patrick Secchiari inspired the audience with his experience, creativity, expertise and immense enthusiasm for singing.

Patrick Secchiari's trademarks are his good-humored presence, social alertness, musical sovereignty, partnership-based communication with simultaneous authority, goal-oriented creativity and his great musicality. It is simply incredible fun to sing with him, even if - or perhaps especially if - you are a choirmaster yourself. His apt sayings from his extensive experience with choir groups of various compositions and from young to old have entertainment value on the one hand and open up new paths in choir conducting on the other. His 360-degree moderation, for example, encourages people to think about their own role as a choir director. Between the SKJF workshops, association president Vreni Winzeler encouraged the participants to contribute their suggestions and tips to the development of the "Off SKJF" format with a group speed dating session. Based on the so-called "SKJF Singplausch" for children between the ages of 7 and 12, the choir leaders thought about how this model could be adapted for the age group between 12 and 19. And last but not least, the participants had several opportunities throughout the day to exchange ideas and network in a relaxed atmosphere. 

The next forum will take place on Saturday, March 1, 2025, again in Bern. Save the Date. 

The Entrada in the Classica category will take place from March 22 to 24 at seven different locations in Switzerland; the PreSelection Jazz&Pop will be spread over the weekend in March and will take place live in five different cities in 2024. For the first time, all disciplines will come together for the grand finale in 2024: From May 9 to 12, La-Chaux-de-Fonds will host the Classica and Jazz&Pop finals as well as the live performances of Composition and FreeSpace. This is the 49th Swiss Youth Music Competition.

The preparations for the audition for the Swiss Youth Music Competition, which usually take months, are entering their final phase. Many a participant discovers new aspects of the chosen pieces here and there. Now it's time to get the tricky passages under control, but not to flatten the pieces by playing them too often. I wonder what the jury will say? Whether the choice of pieces was a good one? It is too late to have fundamental doubts about the program: the choice of piece had to be submitted with the application by the end of November. Will we be able to enjoy the performance? When will it even take place? And where? Participants will be informed of the time and venue at least three weeks before the performance. Will it be enough for a 1st prize and thus participation in the final?

The Entrada auditions and the PreSelec-tion Jazz&Pop are open to the public and take place throughout Switzerland, this year for Classica in Arbon, Burgdorf, Geneva, Hünenberg, Lugano and Winterthur and for Jazz&Pop in Basel, Bern, Lausanne, Lucerne and Zurich. While the Chamber Music, Composition, FreeSpace and Jazz&Pop competitions take place annually, the solo competitions alternate: At the Entrada at the end of March, woodwinds, accordion, harps and percussion will be heard in the competition alongside the solo string players. The specialists for old instruments, several guitar and piano duos as well as other exciting chamber music entries will compete in the ensemble categories. In the Jazz&Pop category, the aesthetic range of the participating soloists, bands and large ensembles promises an exciting and varied competition for both the audience and the jury.

In the Classica Solo category, 62 of this year's entries came from harpists, 27 from double bassists and 11 from classical percussionists. However, the most entries were submitted for the traditional instruments violin and violoncello, namely 331. 115 woodwind players between clarinettists and flutists, 26 bassoonists and even 5 panpipe players registered for this year's competition.

In the Classica Solo and Chamber Music competition, age category III (*2007-2009) is the category with the most registrations. Age group II (*2010-2012) is in second place, followed by age group IV (*2004-2006) and age group I (*2013-2016).

Compared to 2023, the number of registrations for FreeSpace and Composition remained constant. A pleasing 48 applications were received for the Jazz & Pop competition this time.

We hope that all participants will have the much-vaunted momentum on their side and that they will be rewarded - with or without a prize - with some good experiences for their commitment and dedication.

Every two years, the Swiss Musicological Society (SMG-SSM) awards the Marta Walter Prize (formerly the Handschin Prize) for an outstanding doctoral thesis in the field of music research. The prize is named after the Swiss musicologist Marta Walter, who donated the financial basis of the prize with her legacy to the SMG. The time has now come again for excellent researchers to apply directly to the Society for the Marta Walter Prize 2024 with their doctoral thesis. The prize money amounts to CHF 3,000. Doctoral students who
have completed their doctorate between 01.01.2022 and 31.12.2023, including the defense, and meet other criteria. 

Appel à candidature pour le Prix Marta-Walter 2024
Every two years, the Société Suisse de Musicologie (SMG-SSM) awards the Prix Marta-Walter (formerly the Prix Handschin) to a remarkable doctoral thesis in the field of musical research. The prize bears the name of the Swiss musicologist Marta Walter who, through her legacy to the SSM, provided the financial support for the prize. The prize money amounts to CHF 3,000. The prize will be awarded during the SSM's third study day. The candidate(s) can apply directly to the company for the prize.  Les candidats pris en considération doivent avoir achevé leur doctorat, y compris la soutenance, entre le 01.01.2022 et le 31.12.2023, et répondre à d'autres critères. 

Bando di concorso per il Premio Marta-Walter 2024
Ogni due anni la Società Svizzera di Musicologia (SMG-SSM) assegna il Premio Marta Walter (precedentemente Premio Handschin) a una
tesi di dottorato eccellente nel campo della ricerca musicale. Il premio prende il nome dalla musicologa svizzera Marta Walter che, con un lascito alla SMG, ha garantito il contributo finanziario alla base del premio. Il premio ammonta a 3000 franchi svizzeri. The award ceremony will take place during the third day of the SMG- SSM studio. A partire dall'anno 2014 le/i candidate/i, in possesso dei requisiti previsti, potranno presentare domanda di partecipazione al concorso direttamente alla Società. 

3rd SMG Study Day
Following the successful implementation of the first  and second study days in Bern and Basel, this meeting of young Swiss researchers will take place on September 20, 2024 at the Zurich University of the Arts. The conference consists of poster presentations, lectures, cozy coffee breaks and culminates in the
Awarding of the Marta Walter Prize. The Call for Contributions is aimed at all BA, MA and doctoral students of music (science) at Swiss universities and colleges. 

SMG job advertisement
Are you looking for a new challenge? Then apply to SMG for the management of the SMG office. 

Dates
Application deadline for the Marta Walter Prize: 15.03.2024
Submission of contributions for Study Day 2024: 31.05.2024
Application SMG office: 29.02.2024

Streaming platforms have become indispensable for the music markets. The importance of playlists is greatest on the market leader Spotify, but Swiss acts are rarely included in the platform's own playlists because there are no curators who take care of the Swiss offering and repertoire. This is an almost insurmountable hurdle for artists and their labels to generate visibility, streams and ultimately any revenue at all.

In 2023, streaming accounted for a whopping 88% of sales of recorded music in Switzerland, and the trend is rising. The size of the offering today is already over 100 million tracks. The key challenge is to be recognized on this scale. 

The decisive factor for success is the inclusion of your own tracks in popular playlists, in theespecially those that the providers themselves compile and curate on an ongoing basis. 35% of music consumption on the market leader Spotify's platform is via in-house playlists, which is why this provider has a considerable influence on which music is perceived and played at all and who consequently receives revenue.

However, Spotify hardly takes Swiss music into account: Swiss music is clearly underrepresented in Spotify's playlists, as a comparison of the local versions of these playlists with those of similar markets (Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Finland) shows. 

As a result, Swiss artists are practically denied the opportunities that such globally available platforms could offer from the outset. This is because "invisible" artists will neither create fans at home and abroad nor generate income, no matter how good their music is. This is illustrated below with an example.

Spotify publishes country-specific versions of "New Music Friday", a very successful international playlist. New releases are presented here on a weekly basis, featuring both international and national acts. The chart below shows that the proportion of domestic artists in comparable European countries averages over 30%, with a range of around 20% to 50%. This is not the case in Switzerland, where the proportion of local artists varies between zero and twelve percent. Switzerland is far behind in last place.

But why is the proportion of Swiss acts so low? The reason is that Spotify manages the Swiss offering from Berlin with staff who are mainly employed for the ten times larger German market and have no knowledge of the local music scene, let alone that of French-, Italian- and Romansh-speaking Switzerland. The Swiss offering is dealt with on the side, so to speak, while the main focus is on the German and international acts.

Spotify's behavior means that Swiss music creators and labels are severely hampered in their access to the national and global music market. The development potential of our local artists is being cut off from the outset: Anyone who is already difficult for the national audience to see will never make it onto international playlists and consequently never achieve international success. The opportunities of a globalized and digitalized music market cannot be exploited in this way; it is obvious that this also has financial and cultural consequences.

All major streaming platforms should be required to set up a Swiss editorial team based in Switzerland that is willing and able to offer the local multilingual music scene an appropriate platform in Switzerland. This is not only in the interests of the Swiss music industry, but also of Swiss consumers in all parts of the country. 

Long-standing and extensive efforts by the associations of Swiss music creators and rights holders have unfortunately not led to major streaming platforms opening a branch with staff in Switzerland. Politicians have now also noticed the insufficient presence of the major streaming providers in Switzerland and are beginning to react. An interpellation submitted by National Councillor Müller-Altermatt in autumn 2023 entitled "Eliminating discrimination against Swiss music creators on the streaming market" received a positive response from the Federal Council. Müller-Altermatt then followed up with a motion under the same title, calling for "the legal basis to be adapted so that domestic and foreign companies that offer music in Switzerland via electronic on-demand and subscription services must appropriately and non-discriminatorily reflect and highlight Swiss music creation in the presentation of their general and customer-specific offerings. These companies should be obliged to conclude an industry agreement with the relevant associations of Swiss music creators and producers. A regulation of implementation by the Confederation and sanction mechanisms should be provided for in addition to industry agreements if these are not concluded within a reasonable period of time." Both motions were co-signed by members of a wide range of parties from left to right. 

We can look forward to the reaction of the Federal Council and our new Culture Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider, as well as the willingness of Parliament to use simple instruments to make Swiss music more visible and therefore more successful. We will stay tuned!

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