The only suboptimal thing was the acoustics in the huge Basilica of San Paolo fuori le mura in Rome. With more than five seconds of reverberation, even Bruckner, who composed his symphonies with organ practice in mind, had to capitulate in places. Otherwise, the first foreign guest performance by this new orchestra, known as the Swiss National Orchestra, or SNO for short, was a complete success. The concert took place as part of the Vatican-sponsored international festival Musica e Arte Sacra took place. With a certain amount of protocol: according to the organizers, around 2,000 visitors included political celebrities from Italy and Switzerland, including the Swiss ambassadors to Italy and the Vatican.

There's no shortage of symphony orchestras of all kinds, so why found a new one, I thought before my trip to Rome. However, the quiet scepticism with which I looked forward to the performance of the orchestra, which I had previously only heard in ominous press releases, evaporated with the first notes of Puccini's Symphonic Prelude, the second composer with a memorial year of 2024 after Bruckner. A beautifully rounded wind choir, followed by a gently blossoming string tutti - a perfect beginning that immediately captivated and made a basic characteristic of the orchestra clear: the organic interaction of the orchestral groups, carried by a common breath. The delicate opening, intoned with somnambulistic certainty, made us want to hear the orchestra play Wagner's Lohengrin-prelude or with Debussy.

Pleasurably professional

The striking presence of this opening could be heard in the five rehearsals in Basel that preceded the trip to Rome, a credit to the conductor and former Zurich opera director Ralf Weikert. His thorough rehearsals proved particularly effective with Anton Bruckner's Third Symphony, which was performed in its final version from 1889. The orchestra brilliantly fought the latent battle against the over-acoustics, which unfortunately blurred the abrupt dynamic contrasts and repeatedly obscured the structure in the massive tutti - especially in the third movement. As far as could be heard, the precision of the interplay never faltered. In the slow movement, the winds impressed with their finely coordinated playing, the long, composed reverberation of the horns sounded magical; the effect here was exceptionally supported by the acoustics. The fourth movement: a clear-cut presentation of the contrasting musical characters, pure high energy and a striking conclusion to the symphonic events.

The concert in Rome was an artistic success. The reasons for this lie not only in the disciplined preparation, but also in the professionalism and, not least, in the joy of playing and the shared desire of all participants. The fact that they are a motley crew is not noticeable in their performance. The chemistry is right, and anyone who talks to the musicians will get an impression of the high spirits, if not euphoria, that prevails among them. Rahel Cunz, concertmaster of the Musikkollegium Winterthur, sums it up: "This is the first time I've played together with most of them, and I find that absolutely fascinating. They are all here voluntarily and are really enjoying it. I hope you can feel that in the audience too. We take incredible pleasure in interacting with each other. This creates a unique dynamic, and we make our beautiful music with this positive energy."

From local and international orchestras

Swiss National Orchestra: it sounds ambitious, but is based on an idea that is as simple as it is brilliant. The majority of its members are highly qualified Swiss musicians from orchestras in Switzerland and abroad, many of whom hold top positions as soloists and section leaders. In order to give young talent a chance, some talented students are also invited to take part. Among the members of the Swiss orchestras, those from Zurich, Basel, Geneva and Bern are particularly well represented; those working abroad come from the symphony and opera orchestras in Barcelona, Bergen, Lyon, Berlin, Munich and Stockholm, among others.

The beginnings of the SNO date back to 2016, when the Ticino musician and current artistic director Igor Longato made its first attempt at founding the orchestra with a few like-minded people, and after a long start-up period in which the project gradually took shape, it has now gone public in 2024 with two different programs with changing conductors. At the debut concert in Bern on August 1, 2024, it was John Axelrod, in Rome now Weikert.

Privately financed

With its flexible structure, the SNO follows the model of orchestras such as the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, founded in 1981, the Lucerne Festival Orchestra or the special ensembles for early music. In comparison with these orchestras, which are firmly anchored in the international concert scene, it is still in its infancy, but can boast the unique selling point of being "Swiss made". And with the enthusiasm of the newcomers. There are certainly opportunities for the future, not only because of the high quality of the performers, but also because of the obviously secure financial and institutional basis. Thanks to private patrons and foundations who are fully committed to the project, the orchestra is largely independent of public subsidies; the costs of the current project, amounting to a substantial six-figure sum, were also manageable in this way. In addition, there is a good network of personalities and institutions from politics and business, which can significantly expand the orchestra's radius of action both nationally and internationally.

Scoring points with music instead of just Swissness

The path to the SNO's long-term rise to the ranks of international orchestras therefore appears to be paved. However, for an orchestra that does not have a permanent home and, with the exception of the annually scheduled concerts in Bern, performs at constantly changing locations, specific questions of identity also arise. Two aspects in particular are currently important. On the one hand, there is the image. The orchestra's public relations work to date has sold it short; the website is rudimentary, the press releases show little understanding of the genuinely artistic aspects of the company and primarily emphasize the protocol function. Without appropriate communication skills, however, it will be difficult for the orchestra to gain the position in the music business that it deserves.

And then there's the Swiss connection: less ostentatious Swissness would probably bring in more. Comparisons with Swiss branded goods such as watches and national team football obscure the focus on the core business, and that is music. It is not an export product like any other. The desired role of the orchestra as a musical ambassador for Switzerland will be all the more successful the more it can shine artistically. The advertising effect will then be self-evident and does not need to be publicized. The prerequisite is programming that allows it to compete with the big orchestras, as in the case of Bruckner. There should be no shortage of works with a Swiss connection, from Mendelssohn and Brahms to Rachmaninov, Stravinsky and beyond. And unlike the Nati, they are not in a slump.

___________________________________________________________

Transparency notice:
The trip was organized at the invitation of the orchestra.
Website of the Swiss National Orchestra: https://sno.ch
Website of the author Max Nyffeler: https://beckmesser.info

In the small municipality of Bettingen, the initiative was rejected at the highest rate with over 83% and the Grand Council resolution was accepted with just under 58%. The turnout here was also the highest at 64.4TP3T. However, the inhabitants of Bettingen do not even make up 1% of the total population of the canton of Basel-Stadt. In Riehen and Bettingen, rejection of the initiative was higher than approval of the implementation of the ESC. In Basel, the opposite was true.

The exact figures:

Cantonal initiative "for more musical diversity"
Basel: 62.14% No (183,693 inhabitants, of which CH 110,502, share 86.69, turnout 56.26%)
Riehen: 76.77% No (22,683 inhabitants, of which CH 15985, 12.54%, voter turnout 62.82%)
Bettingen: 83.61% No (1306 inhabitants, of which CH 985, share 0.77%, turnout 64.40%)

Organization of the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) 2025
Basel: 67.49% Yes
Riehen: 61.52% Yes
Bettingen: 57,72% Yes

Sources
Population: https://www.bs.ch/news/2024-bevoelkerung-im-oktober-2024
Voting results: VoteInfo

Graphic
SMZ

In the movie The Square (2017) by Swedish director Ruben Östlund, there is a long scene in which a wild, gorilla-like man with a naked upper body, an artist specially hired for the occasion, is supposed to entertain a private viewing party. The audience is amused at first, but becomes increasingly irritated the more aggressive and uninhibited the man behaves, until finally a woman can just about be saved from being raped. What "goes well" once again is in Living with an idiotThe opera, Alfred Schnittke's first and best opera, is a cruel reality, at least in the new Zurich production by Kirill Serebrennikov (who also designed the sets and costumes).

The idiot takes over life

According to the plot, the couple - I (Bo Skovhus) and the woman (Susanne Elmark) - have to take in an idiot from an asylum, apparently because I has done something wrong. Ich chooses someone with whom he believes he can have profound conversations, but all he can come up with is a dull "Awww!". At first it seems quite amusing, but soon the idiot becomes more aggressive. He impregnates the woman, who aborts the fetus, then rapes me. The two live in a love affair, now harassed by the woman, whom the idiot - or is it I? - finally kills. The idiot disappears; Me is interned in an asylum. The roles have been reversed. This asylum is almost constantly present on the bare, white, bare, cold stage, including the magnificent opera house chorus.

From historical to existential interpretation

In the 1980 story of the same name by Viktor Yerofeyev (who also wrote the libretto), this idiot still bore historical traits, namely those of Lenin, as did the 1992 Amsterdam premiere directed by Boris Pokrovsky. Shortly after glasnost and perestroika, this was quite topical and meaningful. In later productions, however, the Idiot was given a different face. Lenin had receded into the distance, overshadowed by a new, self-elected dictator - and Serebrennikov did not want to bring him to the stage. The Russian dream - was it ever one? - is over. The dream is also over elsewhere. The once politically grotesque satire is now being given a broader, more existential interpretation in Zurich.

Aggressive instincts just below the surface

The story passes by for almost two hours without a break: at a steady, restless, almost indifferent pace. One event follows the next, nothing is played out in an operatic manner; the emotions seem stifled. The plot seems blank and unstoppable. We watch in bewilderment - should we still be entertained, laugh at the absurdity or be horrified? Everything seems naked, almost stripped bare. The dancer Campbell Caspary also moves naked and silently through the room as the Idiot. His role is split. Matthew Newlin, the only black-clad figure on stage, takes on the vocal part; he bears the features of the director and at times seems to be directing the action.

It was deeply convincing - and its unbearable nature also brought back memories of that embarrassing and frightening scene from The Square. It is convincing - and exasperating, because the situation is hopeless. Yet it is self-inflicted: "Everyone voluntarily chooses their own idiot, even here and everywhere. We all have our aggressive instincts, and they lie quite close to the surface," Yerofeyev once said in an interview. And that is the cruelly topical aspect of this play and this production, which incidentally does not feature as many shocking scenes as has been reported elsewhere.

The accompaniment falls silent, things just lie there

Yerofeyev and Schnittke tell this story with a sober fantasy that ties in with the Russian tradition of Nikolai Gogol - and thus indirectly with the setting of his Nose through Shostakovich. They shape the plot with numerous flashbacks, actually referencing the whole thing twice and making it an all the more painful experience through this spiral movement. Schnittke's music, played with great agility by the Philharmonia Zurich under Jonathan Stockhammer, is still colorfully polystylistic at the beginning - for which it was famous. Numerous quotations and pseudo-quotations flow in, reminiscent of Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov and the imbeciles who appear there or the International. Over time, however, this musical variety is reduced, the accompaniment falls silent at times, the text (sung in German - a sensible decision) becomes more comprehensible and more insistent. Things are just lying there. Is this not more topical than ever?

Zurich Opera House: Performances until December 1, 2024.

The mallets ensemble from the Oberer Sempachersee music school (conducted by Martina Balz) provided a harmonious introduction to the conference: children and young people performed three pieces of music in a largely self-organized and highly convincing manner - fulfilling activity, whether professionally or in their free time, just as all musicians wish for the rest of their lives. In the broadest sense, the conference was about healthy performance enhancement and happy music-making thanks to prevention. The location of the meeting was also fitting: the audience, including opinion leaders from the music sector and Pia Bucher, the founder of Swissmedmusica (SMM), sat on blue-cushioned seats in the long-drained pool of Lucerne's Neubad. In the background of the performers were remnants of the active swimming pool, which could certainly be understood symbolically: the diving tower as an image for the personal responsibility to make use of the existing advisory services, and the lifebuoy for intelligent health planning, which can help to ensure lifelong enjoyment of music-making.

According to the organizers, the "bathing guests" who turned up in "surprisingly large numbers" were able to obtain information at the table fair. In addition to many flyers on various offers, previous SMM conference reports were available, which celebrated an anniversary this year with its 20th symposium. Isabelle Freymond, actress, director and voice artist, moderated the event organized by SMM President Wolfgang Böhler and his team. "National Health Day Music". In a professional and charming manner, she ensured smooth transitions and called the guests back from the breaks to "swimming lessons".

Lesson 1 with Christoph Reich:
Targeted self-management as a key factor for prevention and therapy

The specialist in sports medicine, manual medicine and rheumatology concluded his presentation with the following conclusion:

• An overload problem is first and foremost the result of increasing the load too quickly and/or too selectively.
• Mechanical and static factors influence the tolerance reserve. They must be determined and adjusted.
• A structured load build-up without delayed irritation on the other day is the key to successful treatment - i.e. after "Bank account model".

Christoph Reich runs a practice blog with lots of information on various pain problems: https://www.christophreich.ch

Lesson 2 with Cinzia Cruder (in English):
In Tune, not in Pain! - Profiling, preventing, and managing playing-related musculoskeletal disorders among musicians

The musician and health researcher presented the successfully introduced "Health Module" at the Scuola universitaria di Musica of the Conservatorio della Svizzera italiana. She gave insights into her work in the field of Playing-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (PRMDs) and the research project Rismus - Risk of music students.

Further projects:

• MUST: Muscle Stiffness among musicians with and without playing-related musculoskeletal disorders (together with the Department of "Health" at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences and the Orchestra della Svizzera italiana)
• Long-term study with all music academies in Switzerland on the development of chronic pain caused by music-making (A longitudinal investigation of risk factors for PRMD chronicity)

Lesson 3 with Dawn Rose (in English):
Empowering Musicians - a program to promote health and well-being in music studies

Dawn Rose, Professor at the Lucerne School of Music, gave an overview of the research that has been ongoing for five years on the subject of "Musician's Health and Wellbeing" or "Empowering Musicians".

Five conclusions from the presentation:

• Students, together with their institution, have a shared responsibility for their well-being.
• A holistic approach that takes environmental and social aspects into account is important.
• The term "success" must be redefined: Musicians must be prepared as "multi-professionals" and recognized as "agents of change".
• "Belief systems" need to be challenged, especially ideas about "playing through pain", talent and seeking help.
• A cultural shift is needed to support students and a holistic approach is needed to develop a culture of care for future musicians.

Lesson 4 with Gerhard Wolters:
Health awareness in music lessons

The musician and music school director presented his self-developed MDU method as a model for healthy, relaxed, student-oriented music learning.

12 Dimensions see https://www.mdu.ch/beratung-coaching/gesunder-unterricht (MDU&Health tile)

Lesson 5:
Workshops with Pascal Widmer (Feldenkrais) or Marjan Steenbeek and Véronique Putzi (physiotherapy and occupational therapy)

 

Lesson 6
Chamber music from the Amazon with Jessica Sicsu, flute, Michell Pereira, percussion, and André von Steiger Paiva de Figueiredo, guitar

The ensemble was in the fall in the Switzerland on tour.

Lesson 7 with :
Prevention and Musical Excellence - Impulses from neuroscience

The singer, trumpeter and Specialist in psychiatry and psychotherapy gave an overview of important contributions from various experts on brain research and formulated the following "interim conclusion on good music teaching":

Good teaching

• ... does not automatically lead to musical excellence.
• ... requires teachers who are competent, credible, empathetic and approachable.
• ... is the result of a successful relationship between teacher and pupils.
• ... gives learners the expertise for learning. This strengthens intrinsicity.
• ... takes into account the individual motivational situation at the individual point in time.
• ... integrates the basic needs of autonomy and belonging.
• Learning takes time and repetition.
• When musical excellence is the goal, it's exhausting.

Lesson 8:
Panel discussion with Wolfgang Böhler, Nicole Freymond, Philippe Krüttli, Christian Braun, Peer Abilgaard, Gerhard Wolters
Music education in transition - a major challenge for health management

There wasn't much time left at the end. The question of how the The health of music students in times of online lessons and independent learning could not be discussed in depth. However, it is still on the table and should lead to further discussions that are open to all stakeholders.

_____________________________________________

Members of Swissmedmusica can find documents on the Health Day in the protected area at https://swissmedmusica.ch. New members are very welcome. Contact: sekretariat@swissmedmusica.ch

With a gentle gesture, the conductor invites us to play and gently waves us off. It is a loving atmosphere that is created, ritualistic, full of memories, although it is hard to tell what. You can hear beats on slate, individual strings being struck, all quietly. Suddenly, a few simple favorite songs are sung by refugees who have landed in Donaueschingen and are now taking part in Shared Sounds the Frenchwoman Séverine Ballon. Participation, as the title suggests. And there it is again, the dilemma of socially engaged music. The sound space created is not so significant as to say anything more than participation. What do the participants take away? Does it integrate them? Can they express themselves? Or is it more about being together? Lots of questions that don't disavow the intention, and then enthusiastic applause.

Listening into the darkness

It's not the first time that an event like this, in which outsiders, non-professionals and amateurs take part, has been held on a Friday afternoon, just before the festival gets underway. So much so that it's all too easy to forget with all the impressions. How did we take it with us into the following days? Some of it was still noticeable in the orchestral work Age the Frenchwoman Pascale Criton. The soprano soloist Juliet Fraser asked about her situation in the world, about the world itself, to fragile, floating sounds. The piece asked without wanting to give an answer. This resonated again and again: a listening into the darkness of the earth with Carola Bauckholts Double bass piece My Light Lives in the Darkplayed by Florentin Ginot in the twilight castle park.

The most far-reaching piece, now admittedly already beyond concrete questions, in a spiritual realm of mourning, was the piano piece ... blessed is ... from Mark Andre into the instability of existence. With the help of electronics from the SWR experimental studio, Pierre-Laurent Aimard plumbed the depths of the instrument. It was a highlight of this year's festival.

The aesthetic drill

Such intensity is seldom encountered elsewhere, although the archaic orchestral work Unforeseen dusk: bones into wings from Chaya Czernowin or somewhat more strikingly in Franck Bedrossians Rimbaud setting Feu sur moi - unusual for this composer, who did not quite achieve the oppressive urgency of other pieces here. And if there is one thing in common, it is that technology - live electronics, playback, loudspeakers - played a central role almost everywhere. The "natural" sound was the exception. Which has an impact on the aesthetics. In the case of the Paris-based Italian Claudia Jane Scroccaro one simply experienced a wide-ranging and engaging spatial composition (On the Edge for vocal soloists, choir and electronics). In four new orchestral works, however, the electronic addition achieved a completely new sound.

George Lewis presented in The Reincarnation of Blind Tom a live soloist (the saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell) alongside the orchestra and an AI-controlled piano - a striking mixture, interesting in detail, but hardly in interaction. As Simon Steen-Andersen however in grosso when the amplified keyboard percussion quartet Yarn/Wire was combined with the SWR Symphony Orchestra, you could hardly hear a "natural" sound any more, but something industrially plasticized. Individual sounds, such as drilling machines, were integrated. As with this composer, it was noticeable - almost exemplary - that he pushed back the conceptual, which was still so en vogue a few years ago, in favor of sonority. So you listened to the drill and hardly thought about what it was doing here. A similar aestheticization also took place with the Chilean Francisco Alvarado takes place. In REW - PLAY - FFWD he picks up on the good old music cassette and its rewinding noises - in a funny way.

Poppy, enjoyable and technically tricky

And finally, there was the hyper-rapid Ding, Dong, Darlingin which Sara Glojnarić their queerness - which immediately faded into the background with these highly virtuosic, ludicrous sequences. Like the aforementioned pieces, this was extremely entertaining, poppy in effect, hardly real, as if plasticized, but certainly vivid, pleasingly cheeky and perhaps a little salacious within this framework. In any case, Glojnarić was awarded the SWR Symphony Orchestra Prize for this work. (Video final concert)

It's been a long time since there was so much fun in Donaueschingenand one inevitably wonders about the future of this music: whether it could be successfully transferred to the concert hall. Perhaps a younger audience is waiting there for this kind of sound. This is where the other dilemma arises. The technical demands on the electronics seem to me to be so high that they can rarely be met. The studio equipment is probably still simply too expensive ... We'll see.

Unpoppy drumset

As a PS, the whole thing is now reversed: starting from an element of pop music, the standardized drum set, the Enno Poppe designed a completely different, non-poppy, but very diverse music. Strike (why this title?) requires ten drum sets and correspondingly ten outstanding drummers (here the Percussion Orchestra Cologne). Anyone who thought it was about to start had to wait a long time. It was hardly ever loud, groovy only to a certain extent, you could rather hear the nuances. Wasn't the second beat of all ten a little imprecise, one wondered right at the beginning, to which the further course provided the answer: of course not, but precisely off the mark. Poppe repeatedly built wide-ranging developments on such details, sometimes almost a little didactic because they were enlightening, but nevertheless with an immense wealth of invention over almost an hour.

 

From the archive

Some earlier reports on the Donaueschingen Music Days

Thomas Meyer: Losses and outbursts - Donaueschingen Music Days 2023

Max Nyffeler: The compulsion to constantly reinvent oneself. One hundred years of the Donaueschingen Music Days (November 2021)

Thomas Meyer: Happiness and melancholy - Donaueschingen Music Days 2019

Torsten Möller: Complexities, digital and primitive - Donaueschinger Musiktage 2018

Torsten Möller: Context instead of text - Donaueschinger Musiktage 2017

Torsten Möller: Plural positions - Donaueschingen Music Days 2016

 

 

Bern-born Klaus Huber (1924-2017) is one of the outstanding composers of the second half of the 20th and early 21st centuries. Numerous events are being organized in Switzerland and abroad to mark his birthday on 30 November. A detailed agenda is available on the website klaushuber.ch to find. A few events in Switzerland should be mentioned at this point.

Exhibition

In the library of the Academy of Music, the exhibition On the threshold of sound - the composer Klaus Huber (1924-2017). Exhibition on the occasion of his 100th birthday to Klaus Huber as composition teacher (1963 to 1972) and visiting professor at the Hochschule für Musik Basel. Further information: musik-akademie.ch/library
October 24 to December 14, 2024, Location: Vera Oeri Library, Leonhardsstr. 6, 4051 Basel

Book

Corinne Holtz evaluates in World in the work. Klaus Huber. A biography  The book presents previously unknown material from archives and portrays the composer and his companions "in the light of the 20th century" (Schwabe publishing house). A review of the volume will follow later in the Swiss Music Newspaper.

Flyer

Important data on Klaus Huber's life and work can be found on the Flyer of the Ricordi publishing house summarized.

Concerts

 October 27, 2024

Concert reading From the inside on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Klaus Huber's birth. With works by Klaus Huber and his student Cergio Prudencio. As a lecturer and composer, Klaus Huber helped shape the beginnings of the Rümlingen New Music Festival and was a mentor to numerous composers of a new generation.
Reading by Maria Magdalena Moser: "Our strength carries us forward, women in Bolivia tell us"
October 27, 2024, 5 p.m., Rümlingen Church

November 15, 2024

Homage concert: Chamber music by Klaus Huber and his former students
November 15, 2024, 7.30 pm, New Hall, Basel University of Music FHNW

November 29 and 30, 2024

Heinz Holliger and Raphael Immoos conduct the Basel Madrigalists and the Collegium Novum Zurich in Klaus Hubers Cantiones de Circulo gyrante In this rarely performed work for soloists, choir and instrumentalists, Huber creates a wildly flaming statement against destruction and annihilation based on selected texts by Hildegard von Bingen and Heinrich Böll, according to the Basel Madrigalists. This colorful and multi-layered spatial composition, in which the various vocal and instrumental groups are positioned throughout the room, seems to envelop the audience like a cloak. The Cantiones are complemented by works by Kaija Saariaho and Younghi Pagh-Paan, both of whom studied with Huber.
November 29, 2024, 7.30 p.m., Don Bosco, Basel
November 30, 2024, 7:30 p.m., Grossmünster, Zurich
Concert introduction 6.45 pm: Andri Hardmeier in conversation with Silke Leopold and Joachim Steinheuer

December 12, 2024

Finissage concert with music by Klaus Huber and Wolfgang Rihm, performed by students of the Basel University of Music
December 12, 2024, 6 p.m., Vera Oeri Library

She was a pupil of Jakob Stämpfli, Elisabeth Grümmer and Elsa Cavelti. Between her concert diploma in 1966 and 1995, she was one of the leading Swiss singers of her generation. She has performed as a soloist with all the major Swiss orchestras, the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra and the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, as well as with numerous choirs in Switzerland and abroad. She has worked with conductors such as Horst Stein, Charles Dutoit, Armin Jordan and Peter Maag.

Her repertoire ranged from Purcell to the present day, with a focus on the great oratorio roles of Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Dvořák, Brahms and Verdi. As a lieder singer, she devoted herself primarily to late romantic and modern lieder and premiered and recorded numerous works by Swiss composers.

For family reasons, Ursula Zehnder only performed in concert in the field of opera. She was the mother of five children and lived in Riggisberg and Bern.

Weblink: https://www.bmlo.uni-muenchen.de/z0357

The Ensemble '25 sponsorship awards go to the collective lovemusic ("a new perspective on new music") from Strasbourg and the Thai ensemble Tacet(i) around the composer Piyawat Louilarpprasert. The two prizes are endowed with 75,000 euros each. The foundation is awarding the prize for the fifth time in 2025. It supports outstanding young ensembles in their artistic and structural development. The ensembles will present themselves at the Beethovenfest in Bonn in the fall of 2025.

The deadline for applications for the Ensemble '26 awards is March 15, 2025.

Promotion of young talent

The Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation is now involved in promoting young musical talent. "The promotion of children and young people should be as broad-based as possible and not just reach participants who already have a musical background," it writes on its Website. It is supporting four educational projects for the 2025/26 concert season with 25,000 euros each. The application period runs from December 10, 2024 to January 31, 2025. Further information on the jury and the funding conditions can be found at published online (Link)

The foundation will also continue to fund projects. The application period for this runs from January 1 to March 1, 2025.

Further information, including planned webinars on the application process: https://www.evs-musikstiftung.ch/de/evs-foerderung.html

As announced by the Paul Sacher Foundation, it has been awarding scholarships to support research stays in Basel since it opened in 1986. In addition to the previous scholarships on submitted topics, it also provides scholarships for research on specified topics.

The foundation team develops these topics from the collection holdings. They are dedicated to various sub-areas which, in the view of those responsible for the collection, merit in-depth research. This makes it possible to carry out fundamental initial evaluations of collections that have not yet been catalogued or have only been catalogued to a limited extent.

The formulated topics provide an initial framework that can be specified in discussions with interested parties.

The call for applications for the scholarships with detailed information on the proposed topics and the formal guidelines for these scholarships can be found on the foundation's website:

www.paul-sacher-stiftung.ch/forschung/stipendien.html

In short, the music criticism conference was intended to provide a context for the academic processing of the archive of Fritz Muggler (1930-2023). The extensive material from his many years of work has been conserved and inventoried at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) since 2016. The first project is entitled "Heard abroad": Swiss composers and performers at international new music festivals - perspectives from Zurich critic Fritz Muggler. Ivan Denes, Iris Eggenschwiler and project manager Lukas Näf explained the status of the work and illustrated Muggler's working methods using reviews of works by Maurizio Kagel and Klaus Huber.

The aim was therefore to classify music journalistic contributions in terms of music history. The guest lectures and subsequent discussions made it clear how difficult it is to formulate conclusive categories for this. Or, in other words, how the interface between science and journalism could be clearly defined. After all, a music critic is also a music historian and, conversely, a music historian is also a music critic.

The title of the conference was Music criticism in the context of contemporary music since the Second World War. The perspectives of the presentations were somewhat "donaueschingen-heavy" and concentrated mainly on music-philosophical positions from before the turn of the millennium. This is understandable. According to the invitation, the aim was to recognize narrative patterns or entrenched prejudices that influence the evaluation and classification of music in music history. The presentations by Jörn Peter Hiekel (conference chair together with Lukas Näf and Dominik Sackmann), Wolfgang Schreiber, Tobias Schick, Torsten Möller, Leonie Reineke, Björn Gottstein, Martin Kaltenecker and Thomas Meyer testified to their in-depth knowledge. It was impressive how many details the speakers remembered from their visits to Donaueschingen or were refreshed by the presentations.

For who?

Interestingly, the audience or the reader of the reviews played no role in the multi-layered considerations. The influence of editorial work was also only touched on in passing. Did we not have to think about this until the beginning of the 21st century? Perhaps because the cultural significance of (Western) high culture was not yet in doubt back then? Today, in 2024, the media speak the "language of entertainment" (Wolfgang Schreiber) more than ever. Music criticism is being pushed out of the feature pages of the daily press and specialist journals are disappearing, and not just for contemporary music.

The inclusion of younger critics such as Friederike Kenneweg, Hanna Schmidt and many others would have gone beyond the thematic scope of the conference, but would perhaps have provided fresh impetus. After all, classical expert music criticism seems to have lost its significance for the music market. Holger Noltze writes on September 25 in his Van-contribution to the German Record Critics' Award: "But to see an independent work of criticism, the not at all trivial search for artistic quality swept off the table as irrelevant, illuminated the realization in a flash: that the (ever special) relationship between the market and criticism of music has long since become completely decoupled; that the old idea: a good review, possibly a prize helps with sales, hardly plays a role in the reality of modern major marketing." (https://van-magazin.de/mag/schallplattenkritik-marktlogik-musikkritik).

In view of this loss of significance, further (i.e. more important or at least different) questions arise regarding the relationship between musicology and music journalism.

_____________________________________________________________

The detailed conference program and some presentations are available at https://www.zhdk.ch/forschung/imr/imr-video-11699 published. A book publication is also planned.

Link to the Muggler project at the ZHdK:
https://www.zhdk.ch/forschungsprojekt/im-ausland-gehoert-schweizer-komponisten-und-interpreten-an-internationalen-festivals-neuer-musik-569891

One after the other, on September 11, 2024, the YouthJazzOrchestra.ch, Eliane, Noah Veraguth (Pegasus), Marc Sway and Baschi and delighted the more than 120 attendees with their short performances. The invitation from the Swiss Music Council (SMR) and the Swiss Music Promoters Association (SMPA), which run the secretariats of the two parliamentary groups, was accepted by around 50 parliamentarians, representatives of the Federal Office of Culture and numerous representatives of music associations and music professionals.

Major challenges

The exclusive live moments were authentic and intimate. Attendees also became aware of the importance of the Swiss music industry and its coordinated commitment to music. Music is indeed included in the 2025-2028 Cultural Dispatch currently being discussed in parliament. However, the current and future challenges remain great, so that the framework conditions for music creators and event organizers can be maintained or shaped in such a way that the promotion of young talent and the enormous diversity that the Swiss music landscape has to offer can continue to be taken into account.

The National Council's decision on September 11 is currently met with absolute incomprehension. Contrary to the Federal Council's proposal, it wants to cut CHF 6.5 million from Pro Helvetia's budget. It is to be hoped that the Council of States will take countermeasures so that creative artists are not severely affected. In addition to the distribution of funds, it is also generally crucial that the commitment to the music industry, which is characterized by idealism and passion as well as a willingness to take private risks, is not undermined by even more hurdles.

About the SMPA

In the Swiss Music Promoters Association (SMPA) brings together the most important Swiss concert, show and festival organizers. In 2023, the 50 or so members organized over 2,000 major events for around 5 million visitors in all parts of the country, largely at their own risk. The event industry is an important economic factor for Switzerland and secures jobs and apprenticeships. Every year, SMPA members offer around 23,000 volunteers a meaningful leisure activity at their events. In addition, there is a strong commitment to culture: the proportion of Swiss artists booked for events is constantly increasing.

About the Swiss Music Council

The Swiss Music Council (SMR) is the largest and most influential lobbyist for the entire music sector in Switzerland. 55 associations from the entire Swiss music sector are united under its umbrella. It is committed to improving the cultural and educational policy framework for the creation, communication, dissemination and preservation of music in all its diversity. In collaboration with the Parliamentary Group for Music, it organizes one informative event per session for its members on politically relevant topics in the music sector. This exchange is very important both for those involved in the Swiss music industry and for members of parliament.

Parliamentary groups on the subject of music

There are three interest groups in Parliament that take care of music (source: List of members Parliamentary GroupParliamentary Services parliament.chas of September 2, 2024):

Music PGM: President Stefan Müller-Altermatt, Secretariat of the Swiss Music Council, 32 members. Purpose: "Information and discussion on music-related topics with a connection to politics. Exchange with representatives of the Swiss music sector.
Cooperation with the other cultural parliamentary groups."

Rock/Pop in the Federal PalaceCo-Presidency Daniel Jositsch and Sandra Sollberger, Secretariat Swiss Music Promoters Association SMPA, 38 members. Purpose: "To impart know-how in the areas of live entertainment, music, culture and events on topics such as withholding tax, prevention, VAT, copyright/SUISA, secondary ticket market/black market, sound and laser (VNISSG), security/health & safety, training, volunteer work, etc."

Folk culture & folk music: President Priska Wismer-Felder, Secretariat IG Folk Culture, 61 members. Purpose: "Raising awareness of folk culture & folk music"

 

 

Table of contents

Focus

Patron of contemporary music
Interview with Tabea Zimmermann, Chairwoman of the Board of Trustees of the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation

The work of a music-loving billionaire
Aline Foriel-Destezet promotes classical music

My patron and I
Some advice from Elisa Bortoluzzi Dubach

Chatting about ...
... the financing of music projects
Hedy Graber and Timothy Löw

(italics = summary in German of the original French article)

Echo

"Justice" - an oeuvre de mémoire
Entretien avec Hèctor Parra

What "-ch." or "J. E." thought of Othmar Schoeck
From 1907 to 1944, the SMZ consistently good

The Swiss flamenco
A flamenco culture of international importance developed in Switzerland, which is now being forgotten.

Fit for the future?
Berlin conference on the development of (higher) music schools and the German study "Mulem-ex"

Base

Articles and news from the music associations

Swiss Federal Orchestra Association (EOV) / Société Fédérale des Orchestres (SFO)

Konferenz Musikhochschulen Schweiz (KMHS) / Conférence des Hautes Ecoles de Musique Suisse (CHEMS)

Kalaidos University of Music / Kalaidos Haute École de Musique

Swiss Music Council (SMR) / Conseil Suisse de la Musique (CSM)

CHorama

Swiss Society for Music Medicine (SMM) / Association suisse de Médecine de la Musique (SMM)

Swiss Musicological Society (SMG) / Société Suisse de Musicologie (SSM)

Swiss Musicians' Association (SMV) / Union Suisse des Artistes Musiciens (USDAM)

Schweizerischer Musikpädagogischer Verband (SMPV) / Société Suisse de Pédagogie Musicale (SSPM)

SONART - Musicians Switzerland

Swiss Youth Music Competition Foundation (SJMW)

Arosa Culture

SUISA - Cooperative Society of Authors and Publishers of Music

Swiss Association of Music Schools (VMS) / Association Suisse des Écoles de Musique (ASEM)

 

Household appliance princess
Puzzle by Pia Schwab

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Order issue for CHF 10.- (+ CHF 2.- shipping costs)

At the final of the Valiant Forum Soloist Competition as part of the festival Murten Classics Swiss pianist Manoush Ruken Toth (born 2006) won first prize with the Mozart Piano Concerto No. 13. The second prize went to Simon Popp (born 1999, Switzerland) and the third to  Joanna Goranko (born 2001, Poland).

Students from Swiss music academies were admitted to the competition. The Boho Strings chamber orchestra accompanied them under the direction of Izabelė Jankauskaitė.

The winner of the prize awarded by the  Valiant Bank will perform as a soloist at Murten Classics in 2025. Together with her Siblings Anatol and Anouk is Manoush Ruken Thot at the end of August in Zurich, Bern and Rheinfelden.

 

Powerful images, monumental music: anyone who goes to the movies wants to experience goosebump moments. Music always plays a decisive role in this: without it, even the most ingenious director would not be able to evoke emotions. However, even more overwhelming feelings arise in the concert hall when the film music is played live. In the concert hall of the Lucerne Culture and Convention Center, the 21st Century Orchestra plays live^st Century Orchestra under the direction of Ludwig Wicki music from films such as Dune, Star Wars, Avengers, Interstellar, The Lord of the Rings or Ben Hur.

 The Swiss Music Newspaper is giving away 2 x 2 tickets for the concert performance without film excerpts on November 21, 2024 at 7.30 pm at the KKL Lucerne.

Please register with your exact address by October 10 at the latest by e-mail (contact@musikzeitung.ch) or by post: Schweizer Musikzeitung, Dammstrasse 2, 6440 Brunnen.

Website of the 21st Century Orchestra

The member castles of the "Swiss Castles" association are among the top places to visit in Switzerland. The castles are not only museums, but also places of music. Depending on the season and the castle, there are serenades and concerts in the parks, castle courtyards, banqueting halls and castle chapels.

This year, Castles Day is all about music. Each castle offers its own program to match the historical and local ambience. Medieval minstrel songs, lute playing and courtly music can be heard. Various special instruments will be played, such as Jew's harps, bagpipes, a glass xylophone, fanfares, dulcimer and a pianola. Baroque music, yodeling and Arabic music will make the festive castles resound. Those who prefer to be active can dance to a wide variety of musical styles in several castles: Medieval, Baroque, Charleston, Latin American. In one castle you will be given a stage and can play your own instrument.

Music and festivities are also accompanied by culinary delights. There are special activities for children and families. All information on the individual programs of the 27 castles can be found at www.dieschweizerschloesser.ch

Raffle: Music in the castle

The National Castles Day is being organized for the ninth time by the "Swiss Castles" association, which will be celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2024.

For the readers of the Swiss Music Newspaper 2 x 2 tickets for a visit to the castle on October 6 of your choice will be raffled off. On the website dieschweizerschloesser.ch the castles and their individual programs are listed. Please send an e-mail by September 22, 2024 at the latest to contact@musikzeitung.ch or send a postcard to: Swiss Music Newspaper, Dammstrasse 2, 6440 Brunnen with a note indicating which castle you would like to visit on October 6. The winner of the tickets will be notified on September 27.

The participating castles

CHÂTEAU DE PRANGINS CHÂTEAU DE MORGES CHÂTEAU D'YVERDON CHÂTEAU DE ROMONT CHÂTEAU DE CHILLON CHÂTEAU DE GRUYÈRES JEGENSTORF CASTLE LANDSHUT CASTLE WALDEGG CASTLE BURGDORF CASTLE THUN CASTLE HÜNEGG CASTLE OBERHOFEN CASTLE SPIEZ STOCKALPERSCHLOSS BRIG-GLIS CASTLE HABSBURG CASTLE WILDEGG CASTLE LENZBURG CASTLE HALLWYL CASTLE HEIDEGG CASTLE ZUG CASTLE A PRO CASTLE KYBURG CASTLE FRAUENFELD FORTEZZA DI BELLINZONA CASTLE SARGANS CASTLE WERDENBERG